Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1629) — hint #1 — Vowels

* 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 #1629) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1629) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1629) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

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 #1629) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1629) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1629, are…

• WORTH
• PRONG
• DINGO
• DRUID

One of my favorite things about playing Quordle is when you visualize a word before typing it and just know it’s right.

Of course, quite often that feeling can end abruptly, but sometimes, like today for me you get it four times.

Daily Sequence today (game #1629) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1629, are…

• MERIT
• OAKEN
• GAILY
• GLEAM

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1628, Friday, 10 July: GREET, STEAK, DUSKY, HAUTE
• Quordle #1627, Thursday, 9 July: CRUMP, PHONE, SHINY, STONY
• Quordle #1626, Wednesday, 8 July: GHOST, TREND, EXALT, ALONG
• Quordle #1625, Tuesday, 7 July: ARRAY, SUITE, KIOSK, BOULE
• Quordle #1624, Monday, 6 July: TRAWL, SPICE, PIANO, SHARK
• Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
• Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID

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 #860) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #860) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• PROSE
• DATE
• POEM
• SALE
• CANE
• TAUNT

NYT Strands today (game #860) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #860) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #860) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #860, are…

• CHEESE
• SOUP
• MILK
• TUNA
• PEPPER
• SALT
• NOODLES
• SPANGRAM: CASSEROLE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I have never sampled the delights of a tuna casserole, so I went on a Google search after completing today’s game and found dozens of variations to the Strands recipe including the addition of lime, swapping the noodles for macaroni, and adding a potato chips topping.

It seems easy to make so I’m going to give it a go — but without the MILK.

Meanwhile, despite my culinary blank, I managed to navigate the board without any issues. A tasty start to the weekend.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, July 10, game #859)

• BELIEVE
• HISTORY
• HASTE
• GOOD
• MERRY
• LOVE
• SENSE
• SPANGRAM: WECANMAKEIT

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1628) — hint #1 — Vowels

* 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 #1628) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1628) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1628) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

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 #1628) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1628) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1628, are…

• GREET
• STEAK
• DUSKY
• HAUTE

It took me a while to realize that my final word must have two letter Es.

But after getting that right I made the error of believing it had a rare letter too.

Fortunately I had enough lines left to survive my impulsiveness.

Daily Sequence today (game #1628) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1628, are…

• DECRY
• ADOBE
• CABIN
• ESSAY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1627, Thursday, 9 July: CRUMP, PHONE, SHINY, STONY
• Quordle #1626, Wednesday, 8 July: GHOST, TREND, EXALT, ALONG
• Quordle #1625, Tuesday, 7 July: ARRAY, SUITE, KIOSK, BOULE
• Quordle #1624, Monday, 6 July: TRAWL, SPICE, PIANO, SHARK
• Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
• Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE

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 #859) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #859) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• STAY
• STORY
• SNAKE
• LEEK
• ROBE
• HATE

NYT Strands today (game #859) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #859) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #859) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #859, are…

• BELIEVE
• HISTORY
• HASTE
• GOOD
• MERRY
• LOVE
• SENSE
• SPANGRAM: WECANMAKEIT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

Is it possible to look at today’s theme and not say to yourself “... therefore I am”? Apparently it is, because the words that complete “I think…” here were instead the more seemingly everyday “we can make it”.

Thinking that I was missing out on some cultural reference point I googled all of today’s game words, along with the spangram, and the AI result claimed that all the words feature in the 17th-century Irish Jacobite love song, Mo Ghile Mear (My Gallant Hero). And there was me thinking it was from Ted Lasso or a Taylor Swift song I’d not heard of.

Despite my ignorance I was able to navigate the game without using any hints.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, July 9, game #858)

• STICK
• GLOSS
• STAIN
• LINER
• TINT
• BALM
• PLUM
• SPANGRAM: KISSANDMAKEUP

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1627) — hint #1 — Vowels

* 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 #1627) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1627) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1627) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

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 #1627) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1627) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1627, are…

• CRUMP
• PHONE
• SHINY
• STONY

It does feel like Quordle has been going easy on us recently.

This game, for example, featured two words that began with the same letter and ended with the same two letters. I cannot remember a gift like that in months.

Daily Sequence today (game #1627) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1627, are…

• SNAKY
• GRIEF
• DRAWL
• CHIRP

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1626, Wednesday, 8 July: GHOST, TREND, EXALT, ALONG
• Quordle #1625, Tuesday, 7 July: ARRAY, SUITE, KIOSK, BOULE
• Quordle #1624, Monday, 6 July: TRAWL, SPICE, PIANO, SHARK
• Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
• Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN

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 #858) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #858) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• ALONG
• TIERS
• LUMP
• MUSE
• BLISS
• PLUME
• MAKER

NYT Strands today (game #858) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #858) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #858) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #858, are…

• STICK
• GLOSS
• STAIN
• LINER
• TINT
• BALM
• PLUM
• SPANGRAM: KISSANDMAKEUP

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

The first sight of this theme made me think of the old weight-loss mantra “a moment on the lip, a lifetime on the hips” intended to warn dieters off the brief pleasure of a potato chip, as opposed to the lifelong delight of a slender physique.

I digress, as we weren’t looking for dieting advice but instead things that could be applied to lips — of which there are many possibilities.

Fortunately, despite the high number of words in the search they were all short and easy to spot, with the biggest challenge provided by the 13-letter-long spangram.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, July 8, game #857)

• SCAMP
• HELLION
• RAPSCALLION
• WHIPPERSNAPPER
• SPANGRAM: LITTLEDEVIL

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1626) — hint #1 — Vowels

* 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 #1626) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1626) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1626) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

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 #1626) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1626) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1626, are…

• GHOST
• TREND
• EXALT
• ALONG

Even though I could see no other possibility other than EXALT, whenever a rare letter comes to mind there is always a moment of pause.

Fortunately I got my first three words easily, so I had plenty of space left if it didn’t work out.

Daily Sequence today (game #1626) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1626, are…

• PREEN
• BLARE
• RUPEE
• WHICH

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1625, Tuesday, 7 July: ARRAY, SUITE, KIOSK, BOULE
• Quordle #1624, Monday, 6 July: TRAWL, SPICE, PIANO, SHARK
• Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
• Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH

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 #857) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #857) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• HIVE
• CREED
• SPARE
• VICE
• SALE
• CRAPS

NYT Strands today (game #857) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #857) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #857) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #857, are…

• SCAMP
• HELLION
• RAPSCALLION
• WHIPPERSNAPPER
• SPANGRAM: LITTLEDEVIL

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

There were a few different ways to connect LITTLE and DEVIL and I think I tried them all before finally getting a rare, for me at least, spangram first.

The rest of the board was far trickier. After getting SCAMP I used a hint but even with it I struggled to see HELLION — not a word I’ve ever heard before.

Next the non-game word “scallion” helped me see RAPSCALLION before my misery was ended with the brilliantly old-fashioned WHIPPERSNAPPER — a great word, but possibly not one you use when reporting “trouble” to the police.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, July 7, game #856)

• CART
• BUGGY
• WAGON
• CARRIAGE
• STAGECOACH
• SLEIGH
• SPANGRAM: IGETAROUND

• Samsung Messages has been killed off to make room for Google Messages
• Right now it's just affecting US users, but a wider shutdown is likely to happen
• We recommend making Google Messages your default SMS service

After months of waiting, the dreaded day for Android users arrived: Samsung Messages has finally been shut down for good as of July 6.

The Korean tech company announced its decision to axe its messaging service for Galaxy Phones and tablets in April, with Google Messages taking over as the new default communication platform for devices released in 2022 and onwards.

Samsung stopped installing its flagship messaging platform on devices in 2024, so if you’re using the Galaxy S26 Ultra, for example, Google Messages will already be installed.

So what happens now?

At the moment, Samsung Messages’ demise is only impacting users in the US, according to recent reports. According to SamMobile, it may still work outside the US on devices the app was pre-installed on, but it’s likely that a wider shutdown will follow suit in other countries later — it’s been removed from the Galaxy Store and Google Play Store, and UK users on Reddit are reporting its replacement with Google Messages.

That said, if your device is running Android 11 or lower, the shutdown won’t affect you, according to Forbes. However, the outlet notes that those on a more recent version should switch to Google Messages.

Samsung Messages’ shutdown has been a long process, and though users have been anticipating the move for some time, it doesn’t mean that they’re ready to bid farewell to the app just yet.

Comment from r/S24Ultra

Across the board of reactions on Reddit, the general consensus is that Samsung Messages will be missed. “If I wanted to use Google’s POS services I would’ve bought a pixel,” one user explains, but from Samsung’s perspective, it’s all about giving users a messaging experience enriched with handy features.

The company says that the switch to Google Messages will help bring features to Samsung Galaxy devices to align with modern messaging tools used in third-party apps such as WhatsApp. This includes end-to-end encryption, AI tools, and RCS messages, which Google Messages now allows to be sent between iOS and Android devices.

Still haven’t made the switch to Google Messages? We’d recommend doing this sooner rather than later, and it’s quite a straightforward process.

Once you’ve uninstalled Samsung Messages and downloaded the Google Messages app, launch it and a pop-up reading ‘Set default SMS app’ will appear on your device. Tap this, select Google Messages from the options, then tap ‘Set as default’. You can add Google Messages to your Home screen by tapping and holding the app and selecting ‘Add to Home’.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1625) — hint #1 — Vowels

* 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 #1625) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1625) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1625) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

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 #1625) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1625) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1625, are…

• ARRAY
• SUITE
• KIOSK
• BOULE

As is often the case with five-vowel games, this was a tricky.

It took me an age of experimentation and head scratching before I finally saw KIOSK after putting the three letters I knew in the I-O-S order and seeing if anything would fit either end. What a relief to get there in the end!

Hopefully it wasn’t as painful for your noggin as it was for mine.

Daily Sequence today (game #1625) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1625, are…

• VIRAL
• CHAIN
• MIRTH
• TIARA

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1624, Monday, 6 July: TRAWL, SPICE, PIANO, SHARK
• Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
• Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR

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 #856) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #856) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CARGO
• GATE
• SLATE
• CHAIR
• REAR
• GORE

NYT Strands today (game #856) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #856) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #856) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #856, are…

• CART
• BUGGY
• WAGON
• CARRIAGE
• STAGECOACH
• SLEIGH
• SPANGRAM: IGETAROUND

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I was having a merry old ride around this board until the final word and spangram slowed me down to a standstill.

Spangrams like IGETAROUND really are my nemesis and I came close, but not that close, to using a hint, but thankfully saw the unseasonal SLEIGH just in time before I disappeared into a letter-soup haze.

Finding non-game words was actually a good deal harder and I struggled to find the six required for this page.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, July 6, game #855)

• BLOOM
• EXPAND
• SPREAD
• FLOURISH
• THRIVE
• BURGEON
• SPANGRAM: SUMMERTIME

• Merlin Bird ID is a go-to app for bird identification, with more than 40 million downloads
• It can identify over 2,000 species of birds by sound recognition
• A future update will share sound recordings with eBird, a huge biodiversity database

If you're into birdwatching, you'll need no introduction to the popular Merlin Bird ID app, by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. With over 40 million downloads worldwide, and over two million monthly users in the UK alone, Merlin is the go-to app for bird identification for many.

I'm in my forties, and birding has become one of my recent new hobbies, after years of photographing birds while testing cameras and lenses. And while I'm learning, I simply can't identify all the birds I see or hear, especially in my local nature reserve, which is a migration route for varied and sometimes rare birdlife throughout the year, and a popular birding spot.

The app helps me to identify the birds I'm unfamiliar with by their call / song, using machine learning sound recognition, and gives me lightning-fast and almost always reliable results, with an image for each identified bird. It's super helpful.

I can also feed the app one of my photos for identification, such as those taken during a recent outing with the Sony 400-800mm lens, with the results based on location data and other information from a database of more than 2,000 bird species.

So I was delighted to hear that the app — which is free for iOS and Android, with downloadable offline bird packs by location including US, Canada and Europe — is getting an update which will help users like me give something back: integration with Cornell's own eBird database, as reported by the Guardian.

A new wave of citizen scientists

eBird is a huge citizen-science biodiversity database, with over two billion recordings logged worldwide since its 2002 launch. And it's set for an influx of new data — the Merlin Bird ID app update will in future allow bird identifications to automatically flow directly into the eBird database.

Jessie Barry, of the Merlin project, told the Guardian, "Upcoming feature developments will make an even better link to the eBird systems so that we can use the data from what users ‘hear’ with Merlin to monitor bird populations."

Bird conservation is a hot topic, what with bird numbers declining. The UK, for example, has 70 million fewer birds than it did 50 years ago. So here's the good part: these records could provide vital information to conversation efforts for at-risk birdlife around the world.

Barry added: “This data helps create tools that can be used to further conservation, inspire support and inform ecological management strategies.”

Notwithstanding the cautionary note of the app's outright accuracy, with concern from some about it occasionally misidentifying birds, the Merlin Bird ID app update could be a huge boost for bird conservation efforts.

Being directly connected to the go-to bird identification app, eBird stands to receive more data from millions of users, who don't need to make any special effort to take part; they just need to carry on using the app as before to record and identify birdsong.

I love the idea that I will be one of a new wave of citizen scientists across the world, with the recordings I make playing a small part in monitoring bird populations. And the surge in recording data will likely further improve the app's performance.

Right, I'm off out with my phone, I hear the birds calling...

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1624) — hint #1 — Vowels

* 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 #1624) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1624) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1624) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

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 #1624) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1624) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1624, are…

• TRAWL
• SPICE
• PIANO
• SHARK

This game worked out very well for me, although that was largely due to a quartet of pretty straightforward words.

TRAWL was my only moment of doubt but felt right as I slowly tapped the letters out.

Daily Sequence today (game #1624) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1624, are…

• BLEAK
• COVET
• GREED
• DROOP

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
• Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE

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 #855) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #855) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• GRUMP
• ROLE
• DRIP
• HIVE
• MORE
• FLUE
• BIRD

NYT Strands today (game #855) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #855) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #855) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #855, are…

• BLOOM
• EXPAND
• SPREAD
• FLOURISH
• THRIVE
• BURGEON
• SPANGRAM: SUMMERTIME

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Sometimes Strands themes can be head scratchers, other times they are just plain clever and today's theme falls into that latter category.

With the word “season” in mind I quickly found SUMMERTIME thanks to the hard-to-miss double M, although the corkscrew connections provided a little challenge.

Beyond this there were a couple of tricky words — I wouldn’t have seen BURGEON had it not been for the fact that it was sandwiched by THRIVE and the spangram.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, July 5, game #854)

• POINTER
• SPANIEL
• TERRIER
• HOUND
• RETREIVER
• SPANGRAM: HUNTINGBREEDS

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1623) — hint #1 — Vowels

* 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 #1623) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1623) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1623) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

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 #1623) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1623) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1623, are…

• PINEY
• SWOON
• TITLE
• PINTO

Today felt like a Greatest Hits of Quordle game, with two very familiar words in PINTO and PINEY making their third appearances of 2026.

Meanwhile, it was nice to see SWOON. It’s one of my favorite words — the sound is nice, the meaning is great, and for a bonus it’s also the title of an excellent album by Prefab Sprout.

Daily Sequence today (game #1623) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1623, are…

• REBEL
• LEANT
• DEBUT
• BRASS

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER

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 #854) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #854) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• POLITE
• SPRITE
• LIVER
• HUNGER
• TINGE
• SPEEDING

NYT Strands today (game #854) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #854) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #854) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #854, are…

• POINTER
• SPANIEL
• TERRIER
• HOUND
• RETREIVER
• SPANGRAM: HUNTINGBREEDS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

My immediate thought was that the theme had to have something to do with dogs, but I was wary, of course, of falling into a trap and barking up the wrong tree.

After spotting POINTER it seemed clear that we were looking for dog breeds, but my canine knowledge was not good enough to know that we were searching out HUNTINGBREEDS until after I had connected SPANIEL and TERRIER and then the spangram.

Beyond the game itself there was also an interesting crop of lengthy non-game words. It’s rare that I’ll find many over five-letters long but today the board was loaded with them.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, July 4, game #853)

• BRIGHT
• COLORFUL
• DAZZLING
• EXCITING
• SPARKLING
• SPANGRAM: FIREWORKS

• Google Maps may soon let you order food inside the app
• It could work as an extension of the Ask Maps feature
• Right now it's not clear how it would rival apps like Uber Eats

Google Maps may soon offer you the option of ordering food from a restaurant ready to pick up, as well as directing you to that restaurant on the map, according to hidden code found inside the latest version of Google Maps for Android.

The code was found by the team at Android Authority, and includes text strings such as "ask Maps to order food", "say what you're craving", and "Maps will order for you — even while you're on the go".

This feature isn't live yet, so it's difficult to say exactly how it would work, but it certainly looks as though you would be able to quickly request something on the menu at a restaurant and then pick it up yourself.

Presumably there might be the option to dine in, or to have your food delivered to you if you weren't traveling — so maybe this will work in partnership with apps such as DoorDash and Uber Eats rather than replacing them.

AI working for you

The 'Ask Maps' feature referred to in the code leak is the recently introduced Gemini-powered tool that lets you have a natural conversation with Google Maps about anything you've found or are looking for.

It appears that this same part of the interface is where the food ordering will be placed as well, using Gemini's agentic capabilities to take action for you — though as Android Authority points out, it's not clear just how much autonomy the AI would have.

It might even be restricted to certain phones, like the Magic Cue feature that's currently exclusive to the Pixel 10 series. However, it seems more likely that Google would want to make this as widely available as possible.

We'll have to wait and see how this works, if it does make it to the app at all. The next big announcements from Google should come along with the Pixel 11 launch, which is expected sometime in August.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1622) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1622) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1622) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1622) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1622) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1622) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1622, are…

• ARGUE
• MOTEL
• OPERA
• TRUCE

I found ARGUE the hardest word to get today.

U-E is a reasonably common ending, but for some reason I struggled to think of any also containing an R. I got there in the end, though.

Daily Sequence today (game #1622) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1622, are…

• VITAL
• JOINT
• HELLO
• BILGE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER

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 #853) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #853) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SING
• LURK
• FOUR
• RAIL
• PAIR
• DARE

NYT Strands today (game #853) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #853) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #853) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #853, are…

• BRIGHT
• COLORFUL
• DAZZLING
• EXCITING
• SPARKLING
• SPANGRAM: FIREWORKS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

Talk about a theme that could mean absolutely anything at all.

Totally in the dark, not an entirely unusual feeling to be truthful, I worked my way around the board in search of non-game words to earn a hint. Instead, I saw the spangram FIREWORKS and remembered today’s date.

I went to a fireworks display recently that was underwhelming, in part due to the murky conditions but also because the drones that made up a large part of the display had to be viewed from a particular angle in order to impress; a case of “uh?” rather than “ooh!”. 

Meanwhile, it was nice to see a bit of color in Strands for a change. A rare treat.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, July 3, game #852)

• OBSTINATE
• STUBBORN
• WILLFUL
• FIRM
• HEADSTRONG
• SPANGRAM: NOTBUDGING

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1621) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1621) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1621) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1621) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1621) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1621) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1621, are…

• AVERT
• MOTOR
• MANIC
• WORDY

A close call for me today, with just one line left to guess AVERT.

Fortunately, having already used the letter “l” it didn’t require a leap of faith to employ the letter V.

Daily Sequence today (game #1621) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1621, are…

• VAPOR
• JEWEL
• LEECH
• AFIRE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON

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 #852) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #852) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• BOUT
• TURN
• BURL
• WILT
• BORN
• SING

NYT Strands today (game #852) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #852) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #852) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #852, are…

• OBSTINATE
• STUBBORN
• WILLFUL
• FIRM
• HEADSTRONG
• SPANGRAM: NOTBUDGING

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

“It’s like talking to a brick wall”. I know exactly what that feels like, thanks to growing up with a father to whom all of today’s words could apply — I’d add a few more, given the space.

Perhaps this is why I found the search an easy one, despite a couple of well-hidden words and a spangram that defied the normal top-to-bottom, side-to-side routine.

Far harder was searching the board afterwards for non-game words.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, July 2, game #851)

• BECHAMEL
• MARINARA
• SRIRACHA
• TERIYAKI
• TZATZIKI
• SPANGRAM: GETSAUCY

• There are reports of a WhatsApp username impersonation problems
• WhatsApp and Meta say popular names are reserved
• India wants to see the rollout of username reservations paused

WhatsApp is launching a username feature later this year, to enable you to add contacts without revealing your phone number — but while handle reservations have gone live for many users, there are reports that username impersonation is already an issue.

As per testing done by TechCrunch, usernames very similar to Indian politicians, celebrities, business figures, and public institutions are available. They include 'indiamodi' (for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and 'shahrukh.actor' for Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan.

This focus on India is because authorities in the country have already asked WhatsApp to put a pause on username reservations. As per the BBC, the Indian government suggests that WhatsApp usernames could "increase cybercrimes" such as online fraud and phishing scams — already big concerns in the country.

The thinking is that usernames could allow scammers to operate without revealing their numbers (which may get picked up in blacklists). If those scammers are also impersonating well-known figures, then the problems are compounded.

Get in line

WhatsApp has seen this coming. When announcing the feature, it said that handles for well-known individuals would be reserved for those people — including usernames for politicians, VIPs, and other celebrities.

"People are making false claims about reserving popular or well-known usernames," says WhatsApp. "This isn't true, only the legitimate account owners are able to reserve well-known public-figure names." The same line was repeated by WhatsApp owner Meta when contacted by TechCrunch.

However, it's not clear how many variations of famous names and identities are covered by this block. It seems that with enough imagination, working alternatives can be found — though of course once you start dropping in different spellings, numbers, and extra words, the username impersonation becomes less convincing.

It's a challenge that all social platforms have to deal with, including the Meta-owned Instagram and Facebook. With WhatsApp though, the connection is more direct and the potential scams are more plausible — which may affect the feature's rollout worldwide.

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 #851) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #851) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• GREAT
• CARE
• RISKY
• CLEAT
• RICH
• TASK

NYT Strands today (game #851) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #851) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #851) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #851, are…

• BECHAMEL
• MARINARA
• SRIRACHA
• TERIYAKI
• TZATZIKI
• SPANGRAM: GETSAUCY

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

Added flavor? Surely that can only mean herbs and spices?

Oh, how wrong I was. So, after wasting time looking for oregano, basil and thyme and finding numerous non-game words, I took a hint to get started, with BECHAMEL putting me on to the task of finding sauces.

Even though I now knew the task at hand this continued to be a really difficult game — mainly because the names of any other possible sauces suddenly vanished from my head, but also because every game word today was long and complicated.

So, yes it took me another hint to complete. Congratulations if you completed it without any.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, July 1, game #850)

• HINT
• INDICATION
• CLUE
• EVIDENCE
• INTIMATION
• SPANGRAM: TELLTALESIGN

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1620) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1620) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1620) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1620) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1620) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1620) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1620, are…

• BULKY
• PARSE
• BELOW
• MOVIE

Despite there being five vowels, which usually indicates a difficult game, this was an easier game than usual.

Having two words beginning with the letter B helped, of course.

I only tripped up on one word — guessing “bully” instead of BULKY — with the others being immediately obvious.

Daily Sequence today (game #1620) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1620, are…

• CLING
• SWING
• FROZE
• CONIC

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY

• Apple charges 15-30% extra for in-app purchases and subscription fees like YouTube Premium
• This has become known as the 'Apple tax'
• Third-party developers have been protesting this, mainly Fortnite founder Epic Games

Apple’s App Store is a one-stop shop for all your needs. It’s made subscribing to third-party services a lot easier, and you can manage your memberships all from one place right there on your iPhone. That said, subscribing to platforms through Apple comes with a small but pricey catch.

If you’ve subscribed to the best streaming services such as YouTube Premium through the App Store, you might not know that this could cost you a lot more than if you were to sign up through YouTube itself — and it’s all down to App Store fees.

For example, if you were to sign up to YouTube Premium’s standard tier via its website, it would cost $15.99/ £12.99/ AU$22.99 a month, but if you signed up through the App Store, that monthly price becomes slightly more expensive ($20.99/ £16.99/ AU$23.99).

So, if you’ve started to wonder why your YouTube Premium subscription fee has skyrocketed in comparison to your Netflix and Disney+ memberships, this could be the reason. But why is the margin a lot higher for purchasing directly through Apple’s App Store?

Two words; Apple tax

Apple doesn’t just make bank from selling its extensive range of smartphones, laptops, and other devices; its App Store has created another source of revenue for the tech giant, which is now often referred to as the ‘Apple tax’.

Since Apple charges developers to implement alternative payment systems that aren't Apple Pay, these developers will bump up monthly subscription costs by roughly 15-30%, charging you more per month for simply subscribing to platforms via the App Store in order to avoid paying this fee. It doesn’t just apply to monthly subscriptions; Apple applies this tax to most of its digital goods and in-app purchases.

Now, Apple has been doing this pretty much since the App Store launched on iPhone some 18 years ago, resulting in a protest to this tax — mainly by Fornite-founding company Epic Games.

Back in 2020, Epic Games started its protest against Apple’s App Store fees by implementing its own direct payment system in iOS. As a result, Apple booted Epic’s developer accounts and removed Fortnite, but it didn’t end there.

Epic Games retaliated with a claim of its own, arguing Apple decided to remove Epic's developer accounts because it saw Epic Games as a threat to its ecosystem. Fortnite was then listed back on the App Store following a five-year absence, but the dispute is still very much unresolved. As it stands, the US Supreme Court has decided to hear Apple’s appeal of contempt in the ongoing lawsuit with Epic Games. This will begin in the Supreme Court’s next term, which starts in October.

For most of you who are literate with the ways of Apple, its App Store fees probably won’t come as a big shock to you, but for the average user who relies on their Apple device to make digital purchasing more convenient, they might not be as aware of the catch and are still being blindsided by the Apple Tax.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1619) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1619) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1619) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1619) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1619) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1619) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1619, are…

• EASEL
• OTTER
• LYRIC
• SHACK

SHACK and LYRIC came easily enough today, but both EASEL and OTTER took me a while to find.

With EASEL, I tried every available letter with A-S-E-L before using the letter E again. Sometimes the simplest solution is the hardest to see.

Daily Sequence today (game #1619) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1619, are…

• SORRY
• EXTOL
• QUEUE
• BUTTE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY

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 #850) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #850) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• NATION
• CHILD
• MINT
• DEEM
• CLOUT
• MEET

NYT Strands today (game #850) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #850) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #850) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #850, are…

• HINT
• INDICATION
• CLUE
• EVIDENCE
• INTIMATION
• SPANGRAM: TELLTALESIGN

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

I went around this board at a pace Mrs Marple would be impressed by until I reached the dastardly last word. I just could not see INTIMATION at all and it took me a few minutes before I finally linked the letters in the right order.

Fortunately, the theme was no mystery and thinking about red herrings I found TELLTALESIGN before any game or non-game words.

Meanwhile, I had to chuckle when the first word I got was HINT — frequently this is something I need to get going on Wednesday, but not today!

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, June 30, game #849)

• WRITER
• DIRECTOR
• CAST
• PRODUCER
• CREW
• EDITOR
• SPANGRAM: THATSSHOWBIZ

• WhatsApp username reservations are now open for some
• Check inside the app for your reservation invite
• You can link your new handle to Facebook and Instagram

The big WhatsApp username revolution has started — and while usernames won't fully take over until later this year, Meta is letting people reserve their handles starting from now. Open up WhatsApp on your phone, and you'll see an alert above the conversation list inviting you to reserve your name.

Earlier today I got the alert on my phone (maybe because I'm such an enthusiastic WhatsApp user). If you miss tapping the notification before it disappears, you need to head to Settings: On Android, it's the three dots (top right) then Settings; on iOS, tap the You icon (bottom right) to get to the same menu.

From Settings, select Account > Username > Create username to start selecting your WhatsApp handle. It's worth remembering you're up against three billion other users here, so your first choice might be gone — in which case WhatsApp will ask you to pick something else until you land on something unique.

You may have to deploy some numbers or special characters to get a username that hasn't already been taken — the same tricks you may well have used to get your handles on other platforms (for example, using underscores and periods). There's also a Suggest username option here you can use if you're stuck, and WhatsApp will come up with a few ideas for you.

You can also link an existing username from Instagram or Facebook, which is helpful if you've got a small business or side hustle set up on those platforms and want to be consistent in every app. Just follow the Use Instagram username or Use Facebook username links when you see them.

What you need to know

There are a few things to bear in mind when reserving your username. Firstly, this won't hide your phone number from people who already have it on WhatsApp — it only applies to new contacts you add after the username feature goes live, and it seems as though that won't happen for a few months yet.

Second, if you think that someone might guess or otherwise stumble across your username, you can add an extra layer of protection. From Account > Username, tap Contact me by username and you can generate a key code — a prospective new contact will then need to be told both this key and your username in order to connect with you.

If you have a change of heart (or identity) then you can still change your username before the feature goes live: open up Account > Username then tap Edit to pick something different. At the moment, it's not clear how username changes will be handled once the feature goes live later this year.

Fourth, you'll be wasting your time if you try and reserve something like @zendaya or @edsheeran. WhatsApp says it's fenced off usernames that relate to celebrities, politicians, and other VIPs, so you're not going to be able to use this as an opportunity to impersonate someone famous.

Finally, if you do register the same handle as you've got on Facebook or Instagram, Meta will ask you to connect your accounts. That makes them a little easier to manage together, but it also gives Meta more information about you, your devices, and your activities — which may be used for targeted ads in the future.

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 #849) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #849) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SHOWER
• CORD
• DROP
• WASTE
• PASTOR
• CRIED

NYT Strands today (game #849) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #849) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #849) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #849, are…

• WRITER
• DIRECTOR
• CAST
• PRODUCER
• CREW
• EDITOR
• SPANGRAM: THATSSHOWBIZ

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

There was no mystery about today’s search, although I was expecting to find Lights and Camera in the game somewhere.

Instead, the game ended up being a broader take, with THATSSHOWBIZ covering both stage and screen (both small and large) and the various roles that make up a production.

We could have added “audience” I suppose, as without that there is little point — although I know from a relation who works in a movie theater that even if no one turns up they still play the film the same as if it was a full house, as they are all set by a program at the start of each day.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, June 29, game #848)

• CLEFT
• REST
• NOTE
• BRACKET
• MEASURE
• ACCIDENTAL
• SPANGRAM: MUSICALSTAFF

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1618) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1618) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1618) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1618) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1618) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1618) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1618, are…

• HALVE
• DRYER
• THERE
• MINTY

I played this game without my glasses, which added a new dimension of difficulty.

The first error this caused was my using the word “ducky” instead of my starter word “duchy” and the second was missing the letter H and wasting a guess before getting HALVE.

Somehow, I managed to keep my winning streak going.

Daily Sequence today (game #1618) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1618, are…

• VIVID
• CYCLE
• CHUNK
• PLATE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL

• WhatsApp is rolling out the option of reserving unique usernames
• Username reservations are coming to users worldwide from this week
• They're designed to make communicating through WhatsApp "even more private"

WhatsApp has become one of the world's most popular messaging apps, but not everyone is comfortable with handing out their phone number to a stranger to start a chat. Fortunately, Meta is rolling out a new feature to help change that.

Today (June 29), Meta announced the arrival of WhatsApp usernames, which the company says will be rolling out to over three billion users. From this week, you’ll be able to reserve a username that you can then use when the tool rolls out fully over the coming months.

Since there are a lot of users on WhatsApp, Meta is opening up reservations in advance so you can claim one that’s unique to you before it’s taken by someone else. Meta is also making it easier for organizations and small businesses to claim theirs, and owners will have the option to claim their existing Facebook and Instagram username for their WhatsApp account.

Adding new contacts to WhatsApp is fairly straightforward already — all you have to do is simply enter their number and a pop-up saying ‘this person is using WhatsApp’ will appear. But the addition of usernames paves a way for an even more convenient and private way of adding new contacts — aligning with how other social media platforms work.

Meta added that “usernames are [our] latest step to make WhatsApp even more private” in its announcement. For one, Meta says that there’s no search function that allows you to find anyone via username like you can on Instagram — there’s no directory for browsing, or suggestions and results.

If someone wants to add you as a contact, they’ll need to know your exact username if you want to add you. Additionally, Meta has also integrated an optional four-digit key which you can enable, which others will need to enter if they want to add you.

How to reserve your username

The first step is to make sure your WhatsApp app is updated. Then, once username reservations have been rolled out in your region, head to Settings > Account > Username.

Meta says it'll alert you in the WhatsApp app when usernames are available in your country. It added that "we'll be rolling out usernames gradually over the coming months", so you may need to be patient to see the option.

Usernames have been in the works for WhatsApp for a while. Username reservations were first spotted back in October 2025, and in April users spotted a tool in the service’s beta that allowed them to create their own username, but was only available to a very limited number of users.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1617) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1617) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1617) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1617) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1617) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1617) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1617, are…

• SLURP
• CRACK
• CRANK
• PHONY

After a spell of very difficult games it feels as if we are being given an easy ride.

This is the first time in ages I can remember two words as similar as CRACK and CRANK.

After my bad run I am not complaining.

Daily Sequence today (game #1617) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1617, are…

• DANCE
• SPELT
• SPEAR
• GREET

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL
• Quordle #1598, Wednesday, 10 June: BELIE, TEACH, GUEST, NOOSE

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 #848) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #848) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CRAB
• TRAM
• BALD
• FELON
• ARABIC
• CRANK

NYT Strands today (game #848) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #848) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #848) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #848, are…

• CLEFT
• REST
• NOTE
• BRACKET
• MEASURE
• ACCIDENTAL
• SPANGRAM: MUSICALSTAFF

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

The theme was initially confusing — were we searching for composers like Mozart? — and even spotting the spangram MUSICSTAFF didn’t make any difference.

Musical staff? Is that a posh way to describe an orchestra? 

However, after a hint, I realized we were searching for words associated with the composer’s craft of writing music.

That said, ACCIDENTAL was a new one for me, as I did not know this was a musical term and it took me ages to connect — it is a symbol placed immediately before a note that alters its pitch, temporarily raising or lowering it.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, June 28, game #847)

• PARADE
• RAINBOW
• DRAG
• RALLY
• FLAGS
• CELEBRATION
• SPANGRAM: PRIDEMONTH

Over the years, there's been one iPhone app that keeps drawing me back. It’s called GarageBand, and since its iOS release in 2011, it has consistently managed to keep its claws stuck into me. There’s something about being able to generate good-sounding music with just a few loops that keeps me dreaming of being a music creator!

But, as good as GarageBand is, it’s not the only kid on the block, and I’ve recently been wondering what the alternatives are. There’s Splash, WalkBand, and FL Studio Mobile, to name only a few, but I’ve recently landed on BandLab as my favorite GarageBand alternative.

BandLab is a free music-making app and one of the quickest ways to turn ideas into release-ready tracks. It’s feature-rich, comprehensive, and easy-to-use, all with a nifty (albeit ad-heavy) interface, and it's simple and intuitive to use.

The BandLab app has enough depth to deliver professional results while also being playful enough to have that GarageBand experimental feel. And as you’d imagine, there are a host of AI music generation tools to get your teeth stuck into as well. This is 2026 after all!

Creating music is a breeze

The first step involves creating music. This can be done by uploading an audio file or adding a track. I started from scratch and laid down a drum beat, which I subsequently edited. Creation and editing tools are fast, intuitive, and easy to find, so even though I was new to BandLab, I was able to find my way around without any problem at all.

From there, I entered Studio mode and started laying down multiple tracks, including voice, drum, bass, and guitar. Each instrument comes with its own interface, but with enough consistency between them to not overcomplicate navigation.

Without any formal training, I was able to add effects, crop clips, and perform auto-pitching. With over 300 sound presets, premade drum kits, and 100K+ loop and layer sounds, I effortlessly created a professional-sounding mix.

If at any time I needed to change the settings of my project, I could do so using the Project Settings tab. It's possible to change the tempo, time signature, and project key. Underneath these, there are the app's studio settings, such as changing the input device, which is your phone by default, or whether or not you want a count-in not.

From there, the library of projects becomes your friend. With it, you can manage albums, bands, playlists, and more. It’s also the easiest way to duplicate tracks for creating multiple edits of the same song.

Collaborate and share

One of the best collaboration tools centers around creating music as a band rather than individually. Any project you’ve already created can be assigned to a band, or if you create a new project, then it can be done at the point of creation. Either way, sharing your project lets other band members contribute to the creation process.

With your music created, it’s time to share it. With BandLab, publishing, sharing, and social media tools are built into the very heart of the app experience. Through it, you can easily connect and collaborate with like-minded creators on the BandLab social music platform.

BandLab is much bigger than just your world of music. The Home tab provides access to a vibrant feed of music and videos from other artists. This helped me discover new artists as well as genres of music that I never considered exploring.

Go big with BandLab Premium

Getting a BandLab membership unlocks exclusive creation features with AI tools. One premium feature that is well worth the monthly cost is AutoMix, which instantly adjusts a track’s volume and panning for a clean, polished mix. All you have to do is pick a genre, and you get a balanced, polished mix in seconds.

BandLab Pro is available for $180 / £149 per year, or if you want the complete unlocked experience, then you’ll need a BandLab Max membership, which costs $360 / £199 per year.

Download BandLab and get creating on iOS and Android.

Apps are the lifeblood of smartphones, and with so many to choose from, we inevitably each have our favorites. As such, the apps I'm about to suggest might not be essential for everyone, but they are for me — and you never know, you might just fall in love with them too.

These are five of the iPhone apps I use most throughout my day, so they essentially define how I use my phone. For the most part, they’re also apps that I actively enjoy spending time in.

So, if they sound interesting to you, then they’re worth a download — especially as they all have free versions.

1. StoryGraph

For a long time, Goodreads was my go-to app for logging what I’m reading, making lists of what I want to read, and finding new books, but recently I’ve largely switched over to StoryGraph.

It's a very similar concept to Goodreads but with an arguably more attractive, modern interface, and without the baggage of it being owned by Amazon — a brand I’m trying to interact with less.

But on top of that, StoryGraph also has far more stats and book details built into it, showing you things like the pace of a book, how plot-driven it is, whether it has strong character development, and more, all based on what readers have said.

You can also see how many books and pages you’ve read, how many books of each genre, what moods your books most commonly feature, how your reading has changed over time, and more. So, if you like stats, there’s a lot to dig into here.

Some features are hidden behind a StoryGraph Plus subscription, but the majority of the app is available for free.

2. Letterboxd

Unlike StoryGraph, Letterboxd is something I’ve been using for a very long time, and it’s a similar idea but for movies — so just as StoryGraph is an alternative to the bigger name Goodreads, Letterboxd is an alternative to IMDb.

But it’s more social and community-driven than IMDb, with user reviews very much being front and center of the Letterboxd experience. And as with StoryGraph, there is a wealth of stats available (though some of these are hidden behind a paywall).

You can see how many films you’ve watched, how many hours you’ve spent watching, the number of directors and countries you’ve watched films from, your most watched genres, your highest rated films from each decade, your most watched themes, and many, many other things.

Plus, of course, you can make lists, view lists created by other users, add films to your watchlist, and even rent movies — including sometimes films that aren’t available anywhere else.

3. Pocket Casts

Podcasts are the soundtrack to much of my day, and Pocket Casts is my player of choice. I won’t pretend this is the only great podcast app, but if you’re unhappy with your current player, then it’s well worth giving this one a try.

Pocket Casts has been around for a long time, and it’s gradually gotten better and better, to the point where now, I can’t think of much that could improve it.

It has an attractive interface with good discovery tools, the option to sort podcasts into folders, both dark and light themes, playlist support, the option to change the speed, boost the volume, and trim the silence, a sleep timer, videos (where available), and more.

Plus, Pocket Casts works not just on iPhone but also on Android, Apple Watch, Mac, Windows, the web, and Sonos; it also supports CarPlay, Chromecast, and AirPlay, so you can listen to your podcasts just about anywhere.

4. Proton VPN

VPNs have always been advisable from a privacy perspective, but never more so than now, when countries like the UK are increasingly requiring you to hand over identification to access large parts of the internet — often outsourcing the data collection to companies that may or may not be responsible with it.

So, VPNs are one way to avoid that risk, but they also have other benefits beyond security and general privacy, such as letting you access streaming platforms that might either not operate in your region or have a different selection of content elsewhere.

As for why I’m recommending Proton VPN in particular, I’m a big fan of Proton in general and also use some of their other services. They take privacy more seriously than some VPN companies, and their VPN has over 17,000 servers in over 120 countries, so it’s a good, reliable service, and I don’t notice significant speed drops when connected to Proton VPN either.

That said, there are plenty of other great VPN providers to consider (check out our best VPNs guide for our full list of recommendations), so while I stand by Proton VPN, my suggestion is more just to make use of VPNs in general.

5. Google Photos

Yes, Apple has its own Photos app built into iPhones, and it’s not bad. But for me, Google Photos is the superior option.

Part of that is because it works across various operating systems, so if I ever switch back to Android, I’ll still have ready access to all my photos. But even if you’re a lifelong Apple user, there are still advantages to Google Photos.

While both apps have a decent search function for finding photos through keywords, Google Photos does this best in my experience, and it comes with far more free cloud storage. So, if you want to back up a lot of photos, then Google’s offering is the clear winner there.

Ultimately, I find myself using both apps, but it’s Google Photos that I’m more passionate about — and that I’ll take with me to non-Apple devices.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1616) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1616) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1616) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1616) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1616) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1616) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1616, are…

• RUPEE
• TOPAZ
• FULLY
• BEING

I’m classing today as a return to form, as it’s the first time in a while where my hunches have paid off.

My wild guess was TOPAZ, but having decided that the word had to begin T-O the other options “total” and “today” were ruled out, so I took the leap.

Daily Sequence today (game #1616) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1616, are…

• DEBUT
• AGING
• WHOSE
• VIOLA

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL
• Quordle #1598, Wednesday, 10 June: BELIE, TEACH, GUEST, NOOSE
• Quordle #1597, Tuesday, 9 June: VENOM, UNITE, SHIRT, ANGER

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 #847) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #847) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• MADE
• DOGS
• BRAT
• PRONE
• MINDER
• WIDEN

NYT Strands today (game #847) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #847) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #847) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #847, are…

• PARADE
• RAINBOW
• DRAG
• RALLY
• FLAGS
• CELEBRATION
• SPANGRAM: PRIDEMONTH

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

March in June initially threw me, as I was thinking of the month of March, then I realized that the March in question must be a parade and, of course June has become synonymous with Pride, so PRIDEMONTH and PARADE appeared as if by magic.

I got RAINBOW next, a little tricky as it involved reading backwards, before slowly making my way around the board.

Pride marches began in 1970 to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in New York, but it was another 20 years before Bill Clinton declared June “gay and lesbian month”. 36 years on, it feels more important than ever.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, June 27, game #846)

• PENTHOUSE
• STUDIO
• LOFT
• FLAT
• CONDO
• EFFICIENCY
• SPANGRAM: APARTMENTS

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 #846) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #846) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• TRACE
• FATAL
• DICE
• STONE
• TENT
• CONFUSE

NYT Strands today (game #846) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #846) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #846) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #846, are…

• PENTHOUSE
• STUDIO
• LOFT
• FLAT
• CONDO
• EFFICIENCY
• SPANGRAM: APARTMENTS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I was able to breeze around this board after spotting PENTHOUSE almost immediately — this isn’t strictly true, I spotted “house” first then saw the “pent” attached to it.

This game also featured some nice non-game words including an alternative form of accommodation for people who cannot afford APARTMENTS.

The only place I struggled was with EFFICIENCY — a term I wasn’t familiar with, as this type of small one-person apartment is called a “bedsit” in the UK, as featured in the superb 1981 synth pop hit Bedsitter by Soft Cell, which superbly sums up the single life of Bedsit Land.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, June 26, game #845)

• PASS
• HORNS
• THREE
• BROTHERS
• TROLL
• BRIDGE
• SPANGRAM: BILLYGOATSGRUFF

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1615) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1615) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1615) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1615) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1615) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1615) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1615, are…

• PRINT
• MARRY
• SADLY
• BICEP

An easier game for me today and my third consecutive win after a bad run.

I guessed MARRY yesterday and it was wrong but today I felt more confident with it thanks to the position of the letter A.

Daily Sequence today (game #1615) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1615, are…

• FROCK
• PAUSE
• WALTZ
• COUCH

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL
• Quordle #1598, Wednesday, 10 June: BELIE, TEACH, GUEST, NOOSE
• Quordle #1597, Tuesday, 9 June: VENOM, UNITE, SHIRT, ANGER
• Quordle #1596, Monday, 8 June: CURSE, DROVE, SNOWY, DEBUG

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 #845) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #845) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• BEER
• HEAP
• GYRO
• GOAT
• ROAST
• PRIDE

NYT Strands today (game #845) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #845) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #845) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #845, are…

• PASS
• HORNS
• THREE
• BROTHERS
• TROLL
• BRIDGE
• SPANGRAM: BILLYGOATSGRUFF

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

Today I had to resist the temptation to go in search of things I might “gobble” up, like pizza, peanuts or chocolate (this was after spotting “beer” and “gyro”).

I tried to recall the children’s story that featured the phrase “I’ll gobble you up!” but completely failed due to the fact that virtually all of them do.

It is of course BILLYGOATSGRUFF, as I discovered after two hints gave me PASS and HORNS; a typically horrific tale where the phrase “I’ll gobble you up” is followed by “and put your bones in a sack!” Sleep well, kids!

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, June 25, game #844)

• FACIAL
• AROMATHERAPY
• ACUPUNCTURE
• MASSAGE
• SPANGRAM: SPATREATMENT

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1614) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1614) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1614) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1614) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1614) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1614) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1614, are…

• JUICE
• ARRAY
• BONEY
• SKIFF

Is Quordle getting harder? It certainly feels like it has in the past couple of weeks.

Today was another tricky game, with the appearance of the rarest of letters, J, five vowels and a very difficult to get word in SKIFF.

Daily Sequence today (game #1614) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1614, are…

• MOODY
• VIRAL
• TOKEN
• DIARY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL
• Quordle #1598, Wednesday, 10 June: BELIE, TEACH, GUEST, NOOSE
• Quordle #1597, Tuesday, 9 June: VENOM, UNITE, SHIRT, ANGER
• Quordle #1596, Monday, 8 June: CURSE, DROVE, SNOWY, DEBUG
• Quordle #1595, Sunday, 7 June: QUERY, AXION, LILAC, SWORD

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1613) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1613) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1613) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1613) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1613) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1613) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1613, are…

• SHELF
• TAWNY
• HYPER
• SOLVE

My AI-provided starter words covered a lot of probabilities, but I am not sure if I’ll stick with them.

Despite the help — and two words beginning with the same letter — both TAWNY and HYPER took me a while to find and commit to. Success, then, but slow.

Daily Sequence today (game #1613) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1613, are…

• DRIED
• BUDGE
• NICHE
• CRESS

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL
• Quordle #1598, Wednesday, 10 June: BELIE, TEACH, GUEST, NOOSE
• Quordle #1597, Tuesday, 9 June: VENOM, UNITE, SHIRT, ANGER
• Quordle #1596, Monday, 8 June: CURSE, DROVE, SNOWY, DEBUG
• Quordle #1595, Sunday, 7 June: QUERY, AXION, LILAC, SWORD
• Quordle #1594, Saturday, 6 June: SIEVE, PHONY, GIVER, KNOWN

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 #844) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #844) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SPACIAL
• HEART
• TRUE
• PAGE
• MATES
• GAPPY

NYT Strands today (game #844) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #844) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #844) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #844, are…

• FACIAL
• AROMATHERAPY
• ACUPUNCTURE
• MASSAGE
• SPANGRAM: SPATREATMENT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

Yesterday we were chilling, today we’re relaxing. I wonder if someone at Strands Towers wants a break?

Fortunately, after congratulating myself for getting “spacial” as a non-game word I realized that FACIAL was hiding in plain sight and that our search was all about words connected to SPATREATMENT.

When I was training for the London Marathon about a decade ago I was in a permanent state of pain and would get massages from someone whose technique veered closer to the brutal than the relaxing – in fact, many of his clients called him “the massage terrorist”.

To be honest, it put me off any kind of treatment, but the knots I tied myself in trying to unravel today’s search had me daydreaming of some rejuvenating therapy.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, June 24, game #843)

• BEER
• SELTZER
• KOMBUCHA
• JUICE
• WATER
• SODA
• SPANGRAM: BEVERAGECOOLERS

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 #843) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #843) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• STEEL
• MOVE
• ZERO
• MUCH
• TEAR
• BARD

NYT Strands today (game #843) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #843) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #843) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #843, are…

• BEER
• SELTZER
• KOMBUCHA
• JUICE
• WATER
• SODA
• SPANGRAM: BEVERAGECOOLERS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

The weather is scorching hot in the UK, so my mind automatically went to words connected with staying cool. 

However, I realized after spotting BEER that we were instead looking for cooling beverages — or BEVERAGECOOLERS according to the lengthy spangram.

My cooling beverage of choice — iced tea — didn’t make the cut, but as a second best I’d go with a KOMBUCHA, which is a bit of an upgrade on a regular tea drink but part of the same family, like a distant fancy auntie.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, June 23, game #842)

• FOOD
• BLOCK
• ARMOR
• BUILDING
• PORTAL
• STORAGE
• TOOL
• SPANGRAM: MINECRAFT

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1612) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1612) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1612) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1612) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1612) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1612) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1612, are…

• SOBER
• ECLAT
• GOOSE
• NINNY

After a year-long win streak I’ve been having a really rough time of Quordle recently and lost again today — another case of having too many options and picking the wrong words.

I think after a successful run I might have to change my start words again. I’ll consult Claude and see what it suggests, seeing as it knows everything!

Daily Sequence today (game #1612) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1612, are…

• CRIER
• SCUBA
• PLAIN
• HUTCH

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL
• Quordle #1598, Wednesday, 10 June: BELIE, TEACH, GUEST, NOOSE
• Quordle #1597, Tuesday, 9 June: VENOM, UNITE, SHIRT, ANGER
• Quordle #1596, Monday, 8 June: CURSE, DROVE, SNOWY, DEBUG
• Quordle #1595, Sunday, 7 June: QUERY, AXION, LILAC, SWORD
• Quordle #1594, Saturday, 6 June: SIEVE, PHONY, GIVER, KNOWN
• Quordle #1593, Friday, 5 June: RECUR, SCOUT, SCOWL, CHORD

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1611) - hint #1 - Vowels

* 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 #1611) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1611) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1611) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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 #1611) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

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

Quordle today (game #1611) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1611, are…

• ARDOR
• DADDY
• SERVE
• SHEAR

This game could not have been easier, with just three vowels and two words beginning with the same letter, but I still came close to making it three losses in a row.

I should have solved DADDY earlier, but I lacked confidence and went with “madly” instead.

A messy game, but I’m relieved to be back on track.

Daily Sequence today (game #1611) - the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1611, are…

• SMOKY
• ROBOT
• SLEEK
• CLIFF

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL
• Quordle #1598, Wednesday, 10 June: BELIE, TEACH, GUEST, NOOSE
• Quordle #1597, Tuesday, 9 June: VENOM, UNITE, SHIRT, ANGER
• Quordle #1596, Monday, 8 June: CURSE, DROVE, SNOWY, DEBUG
• Quordle #1595, Sunday, 7 June: QUERY, AXION, LILAC, SWORD
• Quordle #1594, Saturday, 6 June: SIEVE, PHONY, GIVER, KNOWN
• Quordle #1593, Friday, 5 June: RECUR, SCOUT, SCOWL, CHORD
• Quordle #1592, Thursday, 4 June: ENSUE, YACHT, CURRY, NASTY

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 #842) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #842) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• FOOT
• LOCKER
• TABLE
• GEAR
• ROAR
• BRAT

NYT Strands today (game #842) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #842) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

NYT Strands today (game #842) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #842, are…

• FOOD
• BLOCK
• ARMOR
• BUILDING
• PORTAL
• STORAGE
• TOOL
• SPANGRAM: MINECRAFT

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Typically, Aladdin and the version of A Whole New World performed by the late, great Peabo Bryson dominated my first thoughts when tackling today’s puzzle.

However, instead of a “a magic carpet ride” our search was focused on the created worlds of MINECRAFT, something I learned after spotting the spangram immediately.

From here it was a case of trying to remember all of the terminology connected with the game, nearly all of which I’ve forgotten after a brief interest courtesy of two obsessed-with-Minecraft nephews; FOOD was my first spot, of course.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, June 22, game #841)

• CREEPS
• JITTERS
• SHIVERS
• WILLIES
• BUTTERFLIES
• SPANGRAM: GOOSEBUMPS

• The country of Georgia has finally arrived on Google Street View
• Google has highlighted several major sights worth seeing
• The imagery is available in Google Maps and Google Earth

Street View is still expanding, almost 20 years after Google first launched it, and the East European country of Georgia is the latest to be added to the platform — with some spectacular sites and landmarks included, besides all the roads and highways.

"Georgia is a country defined by the scale of its history and the dramatic diversity of its landscapes," says Google, who worked with the Georgian government to get the country on the Street View map.

Some 13,000 kilometers (8,078 miles) of roads have been added, and can be found in Google Maps and Google Earth. You can check out the Jvari Monastery (part of an UNESCO World Heritage Site), the medieval stone towers of Ushguli, and the Bridge of Peace that crosses the Kura River in the capital Tbilisi.

There's also Telavi in the Kakheti region, the center of a wine-making tradition in Georgia that goes back 8,000 years. Grapes from these vineyards are still fermented in traditional clay jars called qvevri, which are buried underground.

Another GeoGuessr level

Another sight worth seeing: the Jvari Pass, high up in the mountains, part of the Greater Caucasus range. Spend a few minutes clicking around on the new Street View images and you'll find plenty of fantastic views.

Of course, you don't have to check out the biggest tourist spots or the most well-known roads. In Google Maps on the web, just drag the little yellow pegman (lower right) into the map somewhere — as you hover with your mouse cursor, Street View roads will turn blue, and that now includes Georgia.

As well as checking out potential spots to travel to, the new imagery is also a boon for GeoGuessr players trying to name the country from a Street View picture. One poster calls it a "beautiful country" that's a "great addition".

While many of us will be well used to Street View imagery in our part of the world, it isn't everywhere yet. Countries including Cyprus and Paraguay were only added last year, while it's missing in China and many African and Middle Eastern nations.

• Cloudflare and web browsers to develop new internet protocol
• PACT protocol will help to verify legitimate web access from human and bots
• Users will be given an anonymized "personhood" token to show they have a real reason to access a website

Now that bot traffic on the internet has officially surpassed human HTTP requests, both web browsers and web infrastructure providers agree something needs to be done, especially as AI agents enter the fray.

Today, Cloudflare has announced a joint initiative with Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge to launch a new internet protocol designed to verify if web access is legitimate or malicious - without intruding on user privacy.

Private Access Control Tokens (PACT) will act as anonymous tokens that verify legitimate access by both humans and authorized agents without the need for user logins or CAPTCHAs that cause friction and harm the browsing experience.

Cloudflare establishes PACT with web browsers

To start, PACT won’t deny access to automated traffic completely. According to Cloudflare, the protocol is designed to recognize legitimate access from certain bots. As consumers and businesses turn to new automations provided by AI agents, there is still a legitimate case for allowing certain bots to access websites.

For many AI agents, there is still a human at some point in the loop with a real reason for accessing a website. PACT offers an anonymous “personhood” token that is attached to the user’s browser. This token uses “trusted information from contexts that have authentic relationships with people” to verify legitimate access “while keeping that information private.”

StatCounter places the combined market share of Chrome, Firefox, and Edge at around 77%, meaning that the PACT protocol will likely roll out to the majority of internet users.

“PACT will further empower businesses to identify genuine visitors, ensuring they can focus their resources on the traffic that matters to them,” Cloudflare said in the announcement. “Using PACT on Cloudflare’s network raises the bar for trustworthiness and integrity online without the traditional costs.”

“In commerce, every extra challenge, delay, or false positive can turn a purchase into an abandoned cart. Merchants need effective protections against automated abuse, but buyers shouldn’t have to pay for them with unnecessary friction or invasive tracking,” said Ilya Grigorik, Distinguished Engineer at Shopify.

“Shopify is proud to help develop PACT as an open, privacy-preserving standard that can help the millions of businesses on our platform distinguish legitimate shoppers and authorized agents from abusive traffic while preserving buyer privacy."

If you've been having trouble with Reddit and X today, you're far from alone — but Downdetector now suggests that their issues are fixed, or at least close to recovery.

X and Reddit were the biggest hit by what appeared to be cloud infrastructure issues, according to Downdetector — with over 30,000 and 2,700 reports at their peak respectively.

Several other apps and services, from Zoom to Canva and Fortnite, also saw spikes in reports earlier today, but similarly seem to have recovered.

No official cause for the issues was reported or announced, but here's how they played out...

A series of big spikes

Right now, X is seemingly the worst hit by today's issues, with almost 36,000 reports on Downdetector. But Reddit is also seemingly struggling for many in the US, with over 3,000 reports.

This may well be a cloud infrastructure outage or issue, because we're seeing more minor spikes across a range of services, from Zoom to Fortnite and Canva. Is this related to a service Cloudflare or AWS? It isn't clear yet, but we'll find out soon.

Is this cloud related?

Given how many services are showing spikes in reported problems right now, there's a good chance this is all related to cloud infrastructure issues.

We're currently seeing smaller spikes on Downdetector for Cloudflare and AWS, though there's no official confirmation that either are having major issues.

However, Cloudflare is now experiencing "increased error rates" as of 10.20am ET / 3.20pm BST, so that could be a potential cause given the likes of X and Reddit are known to use it for their cloud-based content delivery.

X is still struggling for many

X appears to be on the mend, but it definitely isn't its usual self. We're currently able to see the Trends section, but have no feed.

Reddit seems to be faring better, with reports on Downdetector now down to around 365 in the US (down from just over 3,000 half an hour ago).

Those are promising signs, but hopefully they aren't a false dawn — and a number of other services like Zoom and Fortnite continue to show a significant number of reported problems.

William Shatner captures the mood

When in doubt, turn to William Shatner — the actor has captured what many have been experiencing with a post on X showing the "posts aren't loading right now" error message.

But how did he post his reaction when X is down? Well, the site is seemingly recovering from its wobble, with reports now down below 10,000 in the US, so I'm feeling confident that normal Shatner service will resume soon.

A return to normality...

Good news, it looks like the issues that hit X, Reddit, Zoom and more today were just a minor blip — and this isn't going to be a repeat of a major outage like the big Cloudflare incident of November 2025.

We don't know for certain if the large spike in reported issues today was Cloudflare-related, but the cloud infrastructure giant did confirm it was investigating a problem earlier — and now says "a fix is being implemented".

That fix seems to be doing the trick for many services, according Downdetector — but I'll continue to keep an eye on them, just in case.

Cloudflare says it isn't to blame

Cloudflare has told us it isn't at fault for today's issues on X, Reddit, Zoom and more.

"We don’t see any Cloudflare global outage currently. The only issue we’re aware of is that Zayo, a network provider, is experiencing an outage on some of its network routes," a spokesperson told us.

"That may cause some sites using Zayo exclusively to be unreachable, whether they use Cloudflare or not. We are seeing evidence Zayo’s network is recovering and expect any errors to be short lived," they added.

The mystery continues, then, but fortunately all of the reports on Downdetector for those sites are back down to baseline levels, so everything appears to be back to normal.