Saturday, 14 March 2026

Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 15 (game #1511)

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, March 14 (game #1510).

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 #1511) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* 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 #1511) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1511) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1511) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1511) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• G

• W

• T

• T

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

Quordle today (game #1511) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 1511 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1511, are…

  • GRILL
  • WALTZ
  • TROVE
  • TOTAL

It took me an age to get WALTZ — I was convinced I was looking for a word that ended in TH, but eventually inspiration arrived.

I was also haunted by my blindspot — the letter V — in TROVE, but my wrong guess at least helped get the letter W into the game.


Daily Sequence today (game #1511) - the answers

Quordle Daily Sequence answers for game 1511 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1511, are…

  • PHASE
  • ANKLE
  • BILLY
  • BLOWN

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #1510, Saturday, 14 March: CONDO, MUSKY, EATER, SNORT
  • Quordle #1509, Friday, 13 March: SCARY, MOURN, WHARF, SHARP
  • Quordle #1508, Thursday, 12 March: ARTSY, GEESE, BUGGY, FOCUS
  • Quordle #1507, Wednesday, 11 March: BOUGH, TOTEM, NEIGH, PENAL
  • Quordle #1506, Tuesday, 10 March: AWARE, WORDY, PETTY, POWER
  • Quordle #1505, Monday, 9 March: WORDY, PLUCK, MOTTO, DUMPY
  • Quordle #1504, Sunday, 8 March: RETCH, SLANG, AGONY, MURKY
  • Quordle #1503, Saturday, 7 March: AMBLE, HOUSE, PAINT, AORTA
  • Quordle #1502, Friday, 6 March: CHILD, VIRAL, GNASH, STONY
  • Quordle #1501, Thursday, 5 March: AGATE, GAUNT, BRAIN, LANCE
  • Quordle #1500, Wednesday, 4 March: ENVOY, UPPER, DERBY, LLAMA
  • Quordle #1499, Tuesday, 3 March: GNOME, HARDY, ISLET, ALLOY
  • Quordle #1498, Monday, 2 March: SAUNA, CLASP, RIVAL, EARLY
  • Quordle #1497, Sunday, 1 March: NERDY, ADEPT, PRIMO, HUMID
  • Quordle #1496, Saturday, 28 February: BERTH, SNARE, QUILT, CRONE
  • Quordle #1495, Friday, 27 February: STIFF, SINCE, PATSY, METAL
  • Quordle #1494, Thursday, 26 February: ACTOR, ENEMY, GONER, SCENE
  • Quordle #1493, Wednesday, 25 February: SPOOL, INDEX, BLUER, FELON
  • Quordle #1492, Tuesday, 24 February: UDDER, BURNT, PLUSH, VAPOR
  • Quordle #1491, Monday, 23 February: SLINK, SUMAC, FORAY, PRAWN
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NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, March 15 (game #742)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, March 14 (game #741).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

Today's NYT Strands theme is… Best of all

NYT Strands today (game #742) - hint #2 - clue words

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

  • GEAR
  • STAGE
  • SNOW
  • SNAG
  • CARER
  • TURN

NYT Strands today (game #742) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #742) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #742) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 742 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #742, are…

  • DIRECTOR
  • SOUND
  • ACTOR
  • ACTRESS
  • PICTURE
  • SONG
  • SPANGRAM: ACADEMYAWARD

  • My rating: Easy
  • My score: Perfect

This Sunday the world will be tuned into the 98th ACADEMY AWARD ceremony in Los Angeles, as the 3,141st to the 3,165th statuettes are handed out to the “best of all”.

Despite the many things I don’t like about it (the industry thank you list speeches, mainly), I always really enjoy watching the Oscars — although in the UK it does require staying awake until 3.30am — and this year I’ll be hoping The Secret Agent gets some recognition. 

I digress, with little in the way of mystery this edition of Strands was fairly straightforward. My only error was adding an S to the end of the Spangram and having to connect it all over again after it didn’t turn yellow.


Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, March 14, game #741)

  • VENT
  • CRUST
  • FILLING
  • LATTICE
  • GLAZE
  • FRUIT
  • EDGES
  • SPANGRAM: HAPPYPIDAY

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

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

https://ift.tt/2gsH1qP

Friday, 13 March 2026

Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, March 14 (game #1510)

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, March 13 (game #1509).

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 #1510) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* 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 #1510) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1510) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1510) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

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

Quordle today (game #1510) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• C

• M

• E

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1510) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 1510 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1510, are…

  • CONDO
  • MUSKY
  • EATER
  • SNORT

I came very close to crashing out today after taking three guesses to get MUSKY.

If it hadn't been for using two Es in my starter words I would have been left with dozens of options for EATER, but with the two Es it was the only option I could find.


Daily Sequence today (game #1510) - the answers

Quordle Daily Sequence answers for game 1510 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1510, are…

  • SPOIL
  • INERT
  • SEEDY
  • CRONE

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #1509, Friday, 13 March: SCARY, MOURN, WHARF, SHARP
  • Quordle #1508, Thursday, 12 March: ARTSY, GEESE, BUGGY, FOCUS
  • Quordle #1507, Wednesday, 11 March: BOUGH, TOTEM, NEIGH, PENAL
  • Quordle #1506, Tuesday, 10 March: AWARE, WORDY, PETTY, POWER
  • Quordle #1505, Monday, 9 March: WORDY, PLUCK, MOTTO, DUMPY
  • Quordle #1504, Sunday, 8 March: RETCH, SLANG, AGONY, MURKY
  • Quordle #1503, Saturday, 7 March: AMBLE, HOUSE, PAINT, AORTA
  • Quordle #1502, Friday, 6 March: CHILD, VIRAL, GNASH, STONY
  • Quordle #1501, Thursday, 5 March: AGATE, GAUNT, BRAIN, LANCE
  • Quordle #1500, Wednesday, 4 March: ENVOY, UPPER, DERBY, LLAMA
  • Quordle #1499, Tuesday, 3 March: GNOME, HARDY, ISLET, ALLOY
  • Quordle #1498, Monday, 2 March: SAUNA, CLASP, RIVAL, EARLY
  • Quordle #1497, Sunday, 1 March: NERDY, ADEPT, PRIMO, HUMID
  • Quordle #1496, Saturday, 28 February: BERTH, SNARE, QUILT, CRONE
  • Quordle #1495, Friday, 27 February: STIFF, SINCE, PATSY, METAL
  • Quordle #1494, Thursday, 26 February: ACTOR, ENEMY, GONER, SCENE
  • Quordle #1493, Wednesday, 25 February: SPOOL, INDEX, BLUER, FELON
  • Quordle #1492, Tuesday, 24 February: UDDER, BURNT, PLUSH, VAPOR
  • Quordle #1491, Monday, 23 February: SLINK, SUMAC, FORAY, PRAWN
  • Quordle #1490, Sunday, 22 February: SIXTH, FRAUD, YACHT, LEMUR
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NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, March 14 (game #741)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, March 13 (game #740).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

Today's NYT Strands theme is… A math teacher’s favorite desert

NYT Strands today (game #741) - hint #2 - clue words

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

  • DIVE
  • FRIED
  • LAST
  • CHEAT
  • CAVE
  • FLING

NYT Strands today (game #741) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #741) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #741) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 741 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #741, are…

  • VENT
  • CRUST
  • FILLING
  • LATTICE
  • GLAZE
  • FRUIT
  • EDGES
  • SPANGRAM: HAPPYPIDAY

  • My rating: Easy
  • My score: Perfect

Today is, of course, international Pi day — a day to celebrate all things 3.14 (see what they did there) and, with today’s Strands, all things pie (something I didn’t get after getting my first word VENT — initially thinking this must be some kind of mathematical term I’d never heard of).

While it is excellent that the spangram is in the shape of a circle, seeing as Pi is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, a spangram in the shape of the pi symbol would have been more impressive (especially as it would be impossible).

Having solved the pi/pie conundrum, finding today’s words was elementary, although it did make me rather peckish.


Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, March 13, game #740)

  • BANJO
  • MANDOLIN
  • FIDDLE
  • GUITAR
  • HARMONICA
  • SPANGRAM: BLUEGRASSMUSIC

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

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

https://ift.tt/aCVD6gO

Thursday, 12 March 2026

Quordle hints and answers for Friday, March 13 (game #1509)

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, March 12 (game #1508).

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 #1509) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1509) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1509) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1509) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1509) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• M

• W

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1509) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 1509 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1509, are…

  • SCARY
  • MOURN
  • WHARF
  • SHARP

My only moment of hesitation in today's game was choosing between “spark” and SHARP.

Other than that it was a case of practising first-thought-best-thought.


Daily Sequence today (game #1509) - the answers

Quordle Daily Sequence answers for game 1509 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1509, are…

  • EMBER
  • JAUNT
  • ALTER
  • DROOL

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #1508, Thursday, 12 March: ARTSY, GEESE, BUGGY, FOCUS
  • Quordle #1507, Wednesday, 11 March: BOUGH, TOTEM, NEIGH, PENAL
  • Quordle #1506, Tuesday, 10 March: AWARE, WORDY, PETTY, POWER
  • Quordle #1505, Monday, 9 March: WORDY, PLUCK, MOTTO, DUMPY
  • Quordle #1504, Sunday, 8 March: RETCH, SLANG, AGONY, MURKY
  • Quordle #1503, Saturday, 7 March: AMBLE, HOUSE, PAINT, AORTA
  • Quordle #1502, Friday, 6 March: CHILD, VIRAL, GNASH, STONY
  • Quordle #1501, Thursday, 5 March: AGATE, GAUNT, BRAIN, LANCE
  • Quordle #1500, Wednesday, 4 March: ENVOY, UPPER, DERBY, LLAMA
  • Quordle #1499, Tuesday, 3 March: GNOME, HARDY, ISLET, ALLOY
  • Quordle #1498, Monday, 2 March: SAUNA, CLASP, RIVAL, EARLY
  • Quordle #1497, Sunday, 1 March: NERDY, ADEPT, PRIMO, HUMID
  • Quordle #1496, Saturday, 28 February: BERTH, SNARE, QUILT, CRONE
  • Quordle #1495, Friday, 27 February: STIFF, SINCE, PATSY, METAL
  • Quordle #1494, Thursday, 26 February: ACTOR, ENEMY, GONER, SCENE
  • Quordle #1493, Wednesday, 25 February: SPOOL, INDEX, BLUER, FELON
  • Quordle #1492, Tuesday, 24 February: UDDER, BURNT, PLUSH, VAPOR
  • Quordle #1491, Monday, 23 February: SLINK, SUMAC, FORAY, PRAWN
  • Quordle #1490, Sunday, 22 February: SIXTH, FRAUD, YACHT, LEMUR
  • Quordle #1489, Saturday, 21 February: DRUNK, WITTY, FROWN, REACH
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NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, March 13 (game #740)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, March 12 (game #739).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

Today's NYT Strands theme is… Mountain band

NYT Strands today (game #740) - hint #2 - clue words

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

  • RIFLE
  • SCAM
  • RACE
  • MANE
  • LION
  • CHARM

NYT Strands today (game #740) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

Spangram has 14 letters

NYT Strands today (game #740) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 3rd column

Last side: top, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #740) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 740 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #740, are…

  • BANJO
  • MANDOLIN
  • FIDDLE
  • GUITAR
  • HARMONICA
  • SPANGRAM: BLUEGRASSMUSIC

  • My rating: Hard
  • My score: Perfect

The letter J is such a rarity that my eyes shot to it immediately.

However, after getting BANJO, finding the other folky instruments in today’s search was a much slower process — in fact, the only easy one was FIDDLE, thanks to it being hidden within the super-long spangram.

Bluegrass is an unusual genre in that it is named after the act who first popularized it — Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys — rather than being a description of its sound. It’s a bit like calling heavy metal 'Black Sabbath', or calling disco 'Moroder'. Although now that I think of it, that wouldn't be a terrible thing.


Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, March 12, game #739)

  • COMPLETE
  • TOTAL
  • UTTER
  • THOROUGH
  • VERITABLE
  • SPANGRAM: DYEDINTHEWOOL

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

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

https://ift.tt/R3MgWo9

‘Our biggest navigation upgrade in over a decade’: Google Maps gets two massive Gemini-powered features that you’re going to use all the time


  • Google Maps just got two big upgrades that roll out today in the US
  • 'Ask Maps' is a conversational assistant that answers very specific questions
  • Google is also giving drivers the app's "biggest update in over a decade"

The Google Maps vs Waze debate continues to rumble on, but Maps has just been given two huge upgrades that could help extend its lead as the world's best all-round navigation app.

The first, called 'Ask Maps', is the Gemini-powered, conversational experience for travelers that's felt inevitable for a few years. Google is also calling its other new feature, called 'Immersive Navigation', its "biggest navigation upgrade in over a decade".

For pedestrians and travelers, the most exciting new feature is 'Ask Maps'. This new tab sits very prominently below the app's search box and is like a Maps-specific version of Gemini that can answer very detailed travel questions.

Some example questions Google provided in a demo included "My phone is dying — where can I charge it without having to wait in a long line for coffee?" and “Is there a public tennis court with lights on that I can play at tonight?” In other words, this is more than just a rehash of existing Google Maps tabs and information — it could potentially prove very useful if it works as well as it did in the demos.

Two phones on a blue and green background showing the Google Maps app

As the examples above show, 'Ask Maps' will responds to very specific questions about local free phone chargers and florists on your route — which could prove very handy, if it works this well in real-world situations. (Image credit: Google)

Google says that 'Ask Maps' can also create full travel itineraries based on its information from over 300 millions places and 500 million contributors. For example, you could say "I’m headed to the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Coral Dunes — any recommended stops along the way?"

A detail that could prove controversial for some is that your 'Ask Maps' results are personalized. They'll be based on places you've searched for or also saved in Google Maps.

But Google was keen to ward off any privacy concerns, with the Miriam Daniel, VP & GM for Google Maps, stating in a briefing that "it's not linking to any of the other apps or any of your other data". 'Ask Maps' is rolling out now in the US and India on Android and iOS, with desktop coming soon — Google wouldn't comment on a global rollout.

A 'complete transformation' of Maps navigation

Two phones on a blue and green background showing the Google Maps app

(Image credit: Google)

If you're a driver who regularly uses Google Maps to get around cities, then the new 'Immersive Navigation' mode might be more up your street.

Like a cross between 'Immersive View' and traditional Google Maps navigation, the visual side of the update brings a new 3D view that adds transparent buildings and overpasses to give you more context, alongside crosswalks, traffic lights and more. Google says this view was pre-trained using Gemini and real-world info from Street View and aerial photos.

'Immersive navigation' looks particularly helpful for city driving, but there are also functional changes. Google says 'smart zooms' will help you plan ahead for tricky junctions, while voice navigation will apparently be more natural.

Google Maps will also give you more information about the trade-offs of alternative routes, and you'll also get the option to preview your destination with Street View imagery. That's another cross-Google collaboration that feels like it could have happened years ago.

The bad news for anyone who lives outside the US is that 'Immersive Navigation' is only rolling out today in the States. It also won't come to everyone initially, with Google promising that it "will expand over the coming months to eligible iOS and Android devices', CarPlay, Android Auto and cars with Google built-in.


Analysis: Impressive upgrades, but not for everyone

A phone on a blue and green background showing Google Maps

(Image credit: Google)

Both of these Google Maps upgrades look very useful on paper — and rivals like Apple Maps may struggle to compete with its combination of new AI smarts and the wealth of information available in the likes of 'Ask Maps'.

However, there are still concerns that could see some sticking to alternative apps. For starters, we don't yet know how well 'Ask Maps' works in the real world. But some will also raise trust and privacy questions.

When asked about whether the results in 'Ask Maps' could one day include ads or paid placements, Google didn't rule that out. "I can't really speculate on where we're going to go long-term, though for now we are really focused on just providing the best possible experience in 'Ask Maps', so monetization and payment does not impact where things are appearing within that experience," said Andrew Duchi (Product Director, Google Maps).

The personalization aspect of 'Ask Maps' could also put off some users. Google said that it doesn't use information from other apps like Gmail to refine its results. "It's mostly focused on searches you might have done in the past in Maps or in search that are specific to places that you might be interested in. It focuses on things you have saved in Maps or as a list," said Miriam Daniel (VP & GM for Google Maps).

That will be a fair trade-off for many, but others could still prefer the more traditional approach of Apple Maps — and lots of drivers do still prefer the Google-owned Waze over Google Maps. Talking of which, Google added that its new route-finding features are using a combination of Maps and Waze community data.

"Behind the scenes, much like Gemini is powering many of our capabilities, Waze and Google Maps have a shared driver community to bring real-time info to the map. So the two are working together in terms of the data we're serving", added Rosa Wu (Product Director, Google Maps).

Whichever side of the privacy fence you're on, we'll be testing the two big Google Maps upgrades soon to give your our first impressions.


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