Saturday, 30 September 2023

Quordle today - hints and answers for Sunday, October 1 (game #615)

It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. 

Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's fun, but also difficult.

What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keeping it fresh in the form of a variant called the Daily Sequence, which sees you complete four puzzles consecutively, rather than concurrently. 

But Quordle is tough, so if you already find yourself searching for Wordle hints, you'll probably need some for this game too. 

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #615 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

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 #615) - 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 #615) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

The total number of vowels across today's Quordle answers is 8.

Quordle today (game #615) - hint #3 - repeated letters

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

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #615) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 11.

Quordle today (game #615) - hint #5 - 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 #615) - hint #6 - 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 #615) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• L

• A

• B

• M

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

Quordle today (game #615) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 615 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #615, are…

  • LEAST
  • ARRAY
  • BOWEL
  • MATEY

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


Daily Sequence today (game #615) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 615 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #615, are…

  • MAPLE
  • VIRAL
  • THUMP
  • LEAFY

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #614, Saturday 30 September: MELEE, CHECK, SHONE, GLIDE
  • Quordle #613, Friday 29 September: PARER, CLASP, SHARD, JERKY
  • Quordle #612, Thursday 28 September: SAUCY, PEACH, SURER, STRIP
  • Quordle #611, Wednesday 27 September: NOISY, CLEAT, EAGER, CARAT
  • Quordle #610, Tuesday 26 September: SEDAN, CHARD, CHASM, GUSTO
  • Quordle #609, Monday 25 September: LEASH, GAZER, GUILE, KNEED
  • Quordle #608, Sunday 24 September: LUCKY, ANGRY, QUIET, LUCID
  • Quordle #607, Saturday 23 September: HEARD, LOATH, GUEST, SIGMA
  • Quordle #606, Friday 22 September: CHILI, METRO, PUREE, KIOSK
  • Quordle #605, Thursday 21 September: AWARE, SHONE, SHADE, SHELF
  • Quordle #604, Wednesday 20 September: TAMER, SNOUT, BLAND, SLEEP
  • Quordle #603, Tuesday 19 September: WACKY, LAYER, FRUIT, MINER
  • Quordle #602, Monday 18 September: SWEAR, LOWLY, STAND, UPSET
  • Quordle #601, Sunday 17 September: SCRUB, DUSTY, QUOTH, UNCLE
  • Quordle #600, Saturday 16 September: FLAIL, ALTAR, YACHT, HAUNT
  • Quordle #599, Friday 15 September: FISHY, DRAKE, TORUS, SMOTE
  • Quordle #598, Thursday 14 September: CHEST, RIVER, THERE, EMCEE
  • Quordle #597, Wednesday 13 September: GUESS, MICRO, DROOP, ELATE
  • Quordle #596, Tuesday 12 September: CYNIC, GRUEL, CACTI, TOWER
  • Quordle #595, Monday 11 September: RECUT, GREED, COVER, METER

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

Where Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day, Quordle presents you with four puzzles to solve. And rather than complete them in turn, you do so simultaneously. You get nine guesses, rather than the six for Wordle, but the rules are otherwise very similar. 

It's played online via the Quordle website and you can also get to it via the Merriam-Webster site, after the dictionary purchased Quordle last year

As with Wordle, the answers are the same for every player each day, meaning that you're competing against the rest of the world. And also as with Wordle, the puzzle resets at midnight so you have a fresh challenge each day.

The website also includes a practice mode - which I definitely recommend using before attempting the game proper! - and there are daily stats including a streak count. You also get Quordle Achievements - specific badges for winning a game in a certain number of turns, playing lots of times, or guessing particularly hard words.

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

The rules of Quordle are almost identical to those of Wordle.

1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.

2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow. 

3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray…

4. …BUT the word you guess appears in all quadrants of the puzzle at the same time, so an A could turn green in one square, yellow in another and gray in the final two. 

5. Answers are never plural.

6. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.

7. Each guess must be a valid word in Quordle's dictionary. You can't guess ABCDE, for instance.

8. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses and there is no equivalent of Wordle's Hard mode.

9. You have nine guesses to find the Quordle answers.

10. You must complete the daily Quordle before midnight in your timezone.

What is a good Quordle strategy?

Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can't blindly throw letters at it and expect to win - you'll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That's the case in Wordle too, of course, but it's even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won't want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words. 

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options - you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe - but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you're faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options - for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH - you'll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options. 

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It's risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it's the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure - you simply don't have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.

https://ift.tt/shYZHR2

Friday, 29 September 2023

Quordle today - hints and answers for Saturday, September 30 (game #614)

It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. 

Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's fun, but also difficult.

What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keeping it fresh in the form of a variant called the Daily Sequence, which sees you complete four puzzles consecutively, rather than concurrently. 

But Quordle is tough, so if you already find yourself searching for Wordle hints, you'll probably need some for this game too. 

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #614 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

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 #614) - 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 #614) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

The total number of vowels across today's Quordle answers is 8.

Quordle today (game #614) - hint #3 - 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 #614) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 12.

Quordle today (game #614) - hint #5 - 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 #614) - hint #6 - 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 #614) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• M

• C

• S

• G

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

Quordle today (game #614) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 614 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #614, are…

  • MELEE
  • CHECK
  • SHONE
  • GLIDE

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


Daily Sequence today (game #614) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 614 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #614, are…

  • LAPEL
  • STRIP
  • DRAFT
  • POKER

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #613, Friday 29 September: PARER, CLASP, SHARD, JERKY
  • Quordle #612, Thursday 28 September: SAUCY, PEACH, SURER, STRIP
  • Quordle #611, Wednesday 27 September: NOISY, CLEAT, EAGER, CARAT
  • Quordle #610, Tuesday 26 September: SEDAN, CHARD, CHASM, GUSTO
  • Quordle #609, Monday 25 September: LEASH, GAZER, GUILE, KNEED
  • Quordle #608, Sunday 24 September: LUCKY, ANGRY, QUIET, LUCID
  • Quordle #607, Saturday 23 September: HEARD, LOATH, GUEST, SIGMA
  • Quordle #606, Friday 22 September: CHILI, METRO, PUREE, KIOSK
  • Quordle #605, Thursday 21 September: AWARE, SHONE, SHADE, SHELF
  • Quordle #604, Wednesday 20 September: TAMER, SNOUT, BLAND, SLEEP
  • Quordle #603, Tuesday 19 September: WACKY, LAYER, FRUIT, MINER
  • Quordle #602, Monday 18 September: SWEAR, LOWLY, STAND, UPSET
  • Quordle #601, Sunday 17 September: SCRUB, DUSTY, QUOTH, UNCLE
  • Quordle #600, Saturday 16 September: FLAIL, ALTAR, YACHT, HAUNT
  • Quordle #599, Friday 15 September: FISHY, DRAKE, TORUS, SMOTE
  • Quordle #598, Thursday 14 September: CHEST, RIVER, THERE, EMCEE
  • Quordle #597, Wednesday 13 September: GUESS, MICRO, DROOP, ELATE
  • Quordle #596, Tuesday 12 September: CYNIC, GRUEL, CACTI, TOWER
  • Quordle #595, Monday 11 September: RECUT, GREED, COVER, METER
  • Quordle #594, Sunday 10 September: TRAIN, RIPER, BLACK, SCRAM

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

Where Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day, Quordle presents you with four puzzles to solve. And rather than complete them in turn, you do so simultaneously. You get nine guesses, rather than the six for Wordle, but the rules are otherwise very similar. 

It's played online via the Quordle website and you can also get to it via the Merriam-Webster site, after the dictionary purchased Quordle last year

As with Wordle, the answers are the same for every player each day, meaning that you're competing against the rest of the world. And also as with Wordle, the puzzle resets at midnight so you have a fresh challenge each day.

The website also includes a practice mode - which I definitely recommend using before attempting the game proper! - and there are daily stats including a streak count. You also get Quordle Achievements - specific badges for winning a game in a certain number of turns, playing lots of times, or guessing particularly hard words.

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

The rules of Quordle are almost identical to those of Wordle.

1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.

2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow. 

3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray…

4. …BUT the word you guess appears in all quadrants of the puzzle at the same time, so an A could turn green in one square, yellow in another and gray in the final two. 

5. Answers are never plural.

6. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.

7. Each guess must be a valid word in Quordle's dictionary. You can't guess ABCDE, for instance.

8. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses and there is no equivalent of Wordle's Hard mode.

9. You have nine guesses to find the Quordle answers.

10. You must complete the daily Quordle before midnight in your timezone.

What is a good Quordle strategy?

Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can't blindly throw letters at it and expect to win - you'll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That's the case in Wordle too, of course, but it's even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won't want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words. 

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options - you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe - but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you're faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options - for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH - you'll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options. 

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It's risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it's the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure - you simply don't have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.

https://ift.tt/Ri4ca1D

Elon Musk has removed a vital feature on X – fake news could soon get a lot worse

Elon Musk has made drastic cuts to the 'election integrity team' at X (formerly Twitter), a department that was responsible for combating the spread of misinformation online, and also scrapped a feature that lets users self-report false political statements.

The announcement was made just weeks after the platform said it had plans to expand its safety teams, ahead of next year’s US presidential election. Musk took to X to announce that the team had been disbanded via a typically blunt statement.

Following the team cuts, a feature that allows users to report misinformation has also been removed from the X platform.

See more

Musk acquired the platform last year for $44 billion, and his latest move raises fresh concerns about X’s ability to manage information and content surrounding important political events.

It follows a European Commission study published by TrustLab, which revealed that X has the highest ratio of misinformation spread across its content. The study analyzed content across six social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and X – that appeared in Poland, Slovakia, and Spain. 

The cuts to X’s election integrity team saw more than half of the global team laid off. It’s uncertain how many people remain on the team. This includes the department based in Ireland where X’s Co-lead of 'threat disruption', Aaron Rodericks, was based.

Two smartphones on a grey background showing the X app

(Image credit: Future)

Recently, X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino had told The Financial Times that the platform was “expanding the safety and election teams all around the world to focus on combating things like manipulation, surfacing of inauthentic accounts and closely monitoring the platform for any emerging threats”.

This came after Elon Musk suggested in a live-streamed interview that X could start charging all users "a small monthly payment" to use the app, beyond the existing Twitter Blue.

The feature that allowed users to report fake news on the platform has been absent since the release of the study. It was noticed by Reset Australia, an organization that campaigns for democracy in digital media, which addressed concerns in an open letter to X.

You can still report X posts that you consider to be spam and hateful; however, there’s currently no option to report electoral misinformation. In the build-up to the US Presidential election, other companies, including Google, have implemented plans to safeguard electoral information online, most recently in its move to eradicate AI deepfakes during the presidential race by enforcing AI transparency policies.

You might also like

https://ift.tt/nfihzTN

Thursday, 28 September 2023

Quordle today - hints and answers for Friday, September 29 (game #613)

It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. 

Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's fun, but also difficult.

What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keeping it fresh in the form of a variant called the Daily Sequence, which sees you complete four puzzles consecutively, rather than concurrently. 

But Quordle is tough, so if you already find yourself searching for Wordle hints, you'll probably need some for this game too. 

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #613 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

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 #613) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 2*.

* 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 #613) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

The total number of vowels across today's Quordle answers is 5.

Quordle today (game #613) - hint #3 - repeated letters

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

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #613) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 12.

Quordle today (game #613) - hint #5 - 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 #613) - hint #6 - 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 #613) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• P

• C

• S

• J

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

Quordle today (game #613) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 613 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #613, are…

  • PARER
  • CLASP
  • SHARD
  • JERKY

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


Daily Sequence today (game #613) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 613 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #613, are…

  • GUPPY
  • STAVE
  • DROVE
  • MOULT

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #612, Thursday 28 September: SAUCY, PEACH, SURER, STRIP
  • Quordle #611, Wednesday 27 September: NOISY, CLEAT, EAGER, CARAT
  • Quordle #610, Tuesday 26 September: SEDAN, CHARD, CHASM, GUSTO
  • Quordle #609, Monday 25 September: LEASH, GAZER, GUILE, KNEED
  • Quordle #608, Sunday 24 September: LUCKY, ANGRY, QUIET, LUCID
  • Quordle #607, Saturday 23 September: HEARD, LOATH, GUEST, SIGMA
  • Quordle #606, Friday 22 September: CHILI, METRO, PUREE, KIOSK
  • Quordle #605, Thursday 21 September: AWARE, SHONE, SHADE, SHELF
  • Quordle #604, Wednesday 20 September: TAMER, SNOUT, BLAND, SLEEP
  • Quordle #603, Tuesday 19 September: WACKY, LAYER, FRUIT, MINER
  • Quordle #602, Monday 18 September: SWEAR, LOWLY, STAND, UPSET
  • Quordle #601, Sunday 17 September: SCRUB, DUSTY, QUOTH, UNCLE
  • Quordle #600, Saturday 16 September: FLAIL, ALTAR, YACHT, HAUNT
  • Quordle #599, Friday 15 September: FISHY, DRAKE, TORUS, SMOTE
  • Quordle #598, Thursday 14 September: CHEST, RIVER, THERE, EMCEE
  • Quordle #597, Wednesday 13 September: GUESS, MICRO, DROOP, ELATE
  • Quordle #596, Tuesday 12 September: CYNIC, GRUEL, CACTI, TOWER
  • Quordle #595, Monday 11 September: RECUT, GREED, COVER, METER
  • Quordle #594, Sunday 10 September: TRAIN, RIPER, BLACK, SCRAM
  • Quordle #593, Saturday 9 September: MARRY, INFER, STALE, SUITE

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

Where Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day, Quordle presents you with four puzzles to solve. And rather than complete them in turn, you do so simultaneously. You get nine guesses, rather than the six for Wordle, but the rules are otherwise very similar. 

It's played online via the Quordle website and you can also get to it via the Merriam-Webster site, after the dictionary purchased Quordle last year

As with Wordle, the answers are the same for every player each day, meaning that you're competing against the rest of the world. And also as with Wordle, the puzzle resets at midnight so you have a fresh challenge each day.

The website also includes a practice mode - which I definitely recommend using before attempting the game proper! - and there are daily stats including a streak count. You also get Quordle Achievements - specific badges for winning a game in a certain number of turns, playing lots of times, or guessing particularly hard words.

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

The rules of Quordle are almost identical to those of Wordle.

1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.

2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow. 

3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray…

4. …BUT the word you guess appears in all quadrants of the puzzle at the same time, so an A could turn green in one square, yellow in another and gray in the final two. 

5. Answers are never plural.

6. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.

7. Each guess must be a valid word in Quordle's dictionary. You can't guess ABCDE, for instance.

8. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses and there is no equivalent of Wordle's Hard mode.

9. You have nine guesses to find the Quordle answers.

10. You must complete the daily Quordle before midnight in your timezone.

What is a good Quordle strategy?

Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can't blindly throw letters at it and expect to win - you'll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That's the case in Wordle too, of course, but it's even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won't want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words. 

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options - you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe - but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you're faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options - for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH - you'll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options. 

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It's risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it's the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure - you simply don't have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.

https://ift.tt/XKH2aCP

Reddit will now force targeted ads on everyone as the site becomes increasingly monetized

An official post from the head of Privacy at Reddit detailed the social media site’s upcoming plans for how advertisers can track users’ activity, and changes to privacy settings.

The short of it is that users will no longer be able to choose whether Reddit advertisers track you based on your site activity. In fact, comparing the handy ‘before’ and ‘after’ screenshots the post provided, we can see that most privacy settings have been gutted including ‘Personalize all of Reddit based on the outbound links you click on,’ ‘based on your Reddit activity and account info,’ ‘based on your general location,’ and ‘ads/recommendations based on your activity with our partners.’

Image 1 of 2

Reddit privacy settings menu

(Image credit: Reddit)
Image 2 of 2

Reddit privacy settings menu

(Image credit: Reddit)

This leaves only ‘Personalized ads on Reddit based on information and activity from our partners’ in most regions, with an additional option allowing for ‘your activity on Reddit’ to be toggled off in certain areas that weren’t specified in the post. Most likely those would be European countries protected under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which legally requires Reddit to offer privacy settings that protect user data.

Reddit also stated that it’ll be rolling out controls to limit certain categories of advertisements, which you can see below.

Reddit options for sensitive content

(Image credit: Reddit)

It’s the ability to see fewer ads, which means some will inevitably leak through, though the site maintains that since it’s using a combination of “manual tagging and machine learning to classify the ads” it won’t be completely accurate. 

The current categories that can be found in the Safety & Privacy section of User Settings are alcohol, dating, gambling, pregnancy and parenting, and weight loss. Religion, however, is absent from that category list. 

Reddit is becoming increasingly user-unfriendly 

For months now, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has been trying to increase revenue from the site — revenue that it already received from users’ unpaid labor mind you — via an increasing number of anti-user moves. The most notable is gutting third-party API services from the site in order to peddle its own inferior first-party options, which resulted in blackout protests that lasted weeks (until the CEO forcibly reopened the blacked-out subreddits).

Now Reddit has decided that users shouldn’t have the right to control how their collected data is used, with the majority of options replaced by a single extremely vague toggle that could cover anything and nothing at all. And you can tell that the GDPR has the site by the throat, or it wouldn’t even offer the extra toggle “in select locations.” 

Another issue is that the sensitive advertisements categories only limit how many ads you see and don’t allow for their complete removal. Also note that religion is not one of these categories, which is at the very least a massive oversite. But if we were to be a bit more cynical about that, it’s most likely due to religious ads being a major revenue source and therefore Reddit has no motivation to restrict them at all.

And the centralization and capitalization of the internet marches on.

You might also like

https://ift.tt/fP6AqZ8

Photoshop on the web finally launches, but it's still not a free Canva rival

Adobe's browser-based 'Photoshop on the web' has finally launched after spending two years in beta – but the photo-editing tool still requires a hefty monthly subscription, despite previous rumors of a freemium version.

The good news for Creative Cloud subscribers who need a web-based version of Photoshop – hello, Chromebook fans – is that Photoshop on the web has launched with two of Adobe's most useful AI-powered tools, Generative Fill and Generative Expand.

The former can add new objects to your images with a simple text prompt, while the latter lets you broaden an image to add more information to a scene (it's a bit like a reverse of the traditional crop tool).

While Photoshop on the web is a more basic version of the desktop program, these tools do sit alongside staples like 'remove background', the spot healing brush, and layers-based editing. As images are saved in Creative Cloud, you can also access any in-progress files from any computer and keep working on them.

Naturally, there are lots of missing features, but Adobe says that the patch tool, pen tool, smart object support, polygonal lasso, and more are all coming "soon". What isn't coming, sadly, is a free version of web-based Photoshop – the feature's FAQ page still says that "there isn't a free version of Photoshop on the web". We've asked Adobe if this is likely to change and will update this article when we hear back.

That's a slight shame, as there were strong rumors last year that Photoshop on the web would be coming as a freemium option, following some tests with Canadian users. That still looks unlikely right now, so the only way to get Photoshop on the web is to pay for a full Photoshop plan ($20.99 / £19.97 / AU$29.99 per month). 


Analysis: Photoshop remains a premium editor

Despite the eventual arrival of Photoshop on the web, Adobe remains reluctant to open it up to a wider audience with a freemium or even standalone, subsidized version. 

This means the best free photo editors – most notably, Canva and GIMP – will remain popular choices for anyone who needs a simple tool for lighter image editing. Canva is known for its user-friendliness, and while some of its tools (like background removal) need a paid subscription (from S119 / £99 / AU$165 per year) this is still cheaper than Photoshop.

Rather than a heavily watered-down version of Photoshop, Adobe instead appears to be packing the program's web-based equivalent with some pretty powerful features, including those AI-powered generative tools.

Unfortunately, from November 1, Adobe will start introducing what it calls "generative credits" for features like Generative Fill and Generative Expand, a confusing system that could restrict how many times you can use them per month.

According to Adobe's FAQ on generative credits, a Photoshop subscriber will get 500 of these credits per month, with Generative Fill and Expand counting as one credit. We'll likely get more clarification on this closer to when it rolls out. But it's a reminder that as impressive as new AI-powered features are, they also come with big processing demands for the likes of Adobe.

You might also like

https://ift.tt/YMPo8pW

Wednesday, 27 September 2023

Quordle today - hints and answers for Thursday, September 28 (game #612)

It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. 

Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's fun, but also difficult.

What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keeping it fresh in the form of a variant called the Daily Sequence, which sees you complete four puzzles consecutively, rather than concurrently. 

But Quordle is tough, so if you already find yourself searching for Wordle hints, you'll probably need some for this game too. 

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #612 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

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 #612) - 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 #612) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

The total number of vowels across today's Quordle answers is 7.

Quordle today (game #612) - hint #3 - repeated letters

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

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #612) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 11.

Quordle today (game #612) - hint #5 - 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 #612) - hint #6 - 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 3.

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 #612) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• P

• S

• S

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

Quordle today (game #612) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 612 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #612, are…

  • SAUCY
  • PEACH
  • SURER
  • STRIP

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


Daily Sequence today (game #612) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 612 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #612, are…

  • EPOXY
  • GRUEL
  • CAVIL
  • CHECK

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #611, Wednesday 27 September: NOISY, CLEAT, EAGER, CARAT
  • Quordle #610, Tuesday 26 September: SEDAN, CHARD, CHASM, GUSTO
  • Quordle #609, Monday 25 September: LEASH, GAZER, GUILE, KNEED
  • Quordle #608, Sunday 24 September: LUCKY, ANGRY, QUIET, LUCID
  • Quordle #607, Saturday 23 September: HEARD, LOATH, GUEST, SIGMA
  • Quordle #606, Friday 22 September: CHILI, METRO, PUREE, KIOSK
  • Quordle #605, Thursday 21 September: AWARE, SHONE, SHADE, SHELF
  • Quordle #604, Wednesday 20 September: TAMER, SNOUT, BLAND, SLEEP
  • Quordle #603, Tuesday 19 September: WACKY, LAYER, FRUIT, MINER
  • Quordle #602, Monday 18 September: SWEAR, LOWLY, STAND, UPSET
  • Quordle #601, Sunday 17 September: SCRUB, DUSTY, QUOTH, UNCLE
  • Quordle #600, Saturday 16 September: FLAIL, ALTAR, YACHT, HAUNT
  • Quordle #599, Friday 15 September: FISHY, DRAKE, TORUS, SMOTE
  • Quordle #598, Thursday 14 September: CHEST, RIVER, THERE, EMCEE
  • Quordle #597, Wednesday 13 September: GUESS, MICRO, DROOP, ELATE
  • Quordle #596, Tuesday 12 September: CYNIC, GRUEL, CACTI, TOWER
  • Quordle #595, Monday 11 September: RECUT, GREED, COVER, METER
  • Quordle #594, Sunday 10 September: TRAIN, RIPER, BLACK, SCRAM
  • Quordle #593, Saturday 9 September: MARRY, INFER, STALE, SUITE
  • Quordle #592, Friday 8 September: SAPPY, STALL, RAYON, CIVIC

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

Where Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day, Quordle presents you with four puzzles to solve. And rather than complete them in turn, you do so simultaneously. You get nine guesses, rather than the six for Wordle, but the rules are otherwise very similar. 

It's played online via the Quordle website and you can also get to it via the Merriam-Webster site, after the dictionary purchased Quordle last year

As with Wordle, the answers are the same for every player each day, meaning that you're competing against the rest of the world. And also as with Wordle, the puzzle resets at midnight so you have a fresh challenge each day.

The website also includes a practice mode - which I definitely recommend using before attempting the game proper! - and there are daily stats including a streak count. You also get Quordle Achievements - specific badges for winning a game in a certain number of turns, playing lots of times, or guessing particularly hard words.

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

The rules of Quordle are almost identical to those of Wordle.

1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.

2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow. 

3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray…

4. …BUT the word you guess appears in all quadrants of the puzzle at the same time, so an A could turn green in one square, yellow in another and gray in the final two. 

5. Answers are never plural.

6. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.

7. Each guess must be a valid word in Quordle's dictionary. You can't guess ABCDE, for instance.

8. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses and there is no equivalent of Wordle's Hard mode.

9. You have nine guesses to find the Quordle answers.

10. You must complete the daily Quordle before midnight in your timezone.

What is a good Quordle strategy?

Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can't blindly throw letters at it and expect to win - you'll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That's the case in Wordle too, of course, but it's even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won't want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words. 

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options - you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe - but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you're faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options - for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH - you'll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options. 

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It's risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it's the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure - you simply don't have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.

https://ift.tt/2FUkR1J

Google changed everything about the web, and you have to live with it

Most people don’t remember what it was like to search the Internet before Google, which turns 25 today. It’s not that Google was the first to crawl and index the web. Others, like Alta Vista, Ask Jeeves, and Northern Lights did their best to help us make sense of the rapidly expanding Information superhighway (read our round-up of pre-Google services).

We searched because it was faster than crawling through links, hoping you’d find the right site, or using a browse tree like Yahoo search. I don’t know, though, that we thought of a web search and its results as answering questions. Or maybe we did but assumed that the Web was already, by 1998, too vast to spelunk to the center and hope to find anything.

Google turns 25

A '25 years of Google' badge on a yellow background

(Image credit: Future)

This is the part of a series of TechRadar articles marking and celebrating Google's 25th birthday. Read them all here.

The internet was so big, it became like some unsolvable math proof. The search engines of the time were not up to the task and most of us threw up our hands in surrender. We assumed the web would keep growing and become ever more unknowable.

Google, though, started by solving that equation. Founders and then Stanford Ph.D. students Sergey Brin and Larry Page’s measures for rank and relevancy changed how we search the web and think about it, too.

Less than a year into launch Google was lauded by PC Magazine, which awarded it a Technical Excellence Award, as “a search engine that consistently returns good results.”

Google PageRanked it all

What Google showed us is that the Internet was not billions of unconnected pages full of buried information. Instead, Google recognized the hidden power of interconnectedness 

Links were the key to relevance because when someone trusted an information source, they linked to it from their own web page. If enough people did that, Google was designed to assign that a higher relevance value than information that no one pointed to. Added to that was early text recognition that could verify the quality and, again, the connectedness of the information. If the words on linked pages matched, they were talking about the same topic. The cross-link and that were strong signals of value.

The internet was so big, it became like some unsolvable math proof. The search engines of the time were not up to the task and most of us threw up our hands in surrender.

Because this worked so well, Google’s PageRank soon became king or kingmaker.

I can’t imagine an online world in which we do not look at the web like this. Imagine if all the bazillion bits of information were still seen as a flat plain of information wrapping around and around the world, overlapping but never connecting. What a tragedy that would’ve been.

Conversely, Google’s insistence that information is only relevant if someone else deemed it so with a link transformed how we built the web. No new information could be added without internal and external links.

Google made us

Over time, we learned that Google had not just these two signals, PageRank, and text matching, but dozens of others that helped Google assess page and information value.

The more we learned, the more we built the Web in Google’s image.

Without Google, it might be impossible to effectively search the web but then it also might be a more egalitarian space where even the smallest bit of seemingly inconsequential information could rise up and be found. But, of course, it would never be found because there’s too much information. 

Google is now, obviously so much more than just search. It’s not even Google anymore. It’s Alphabet, with Google Search being just a small piece of it.

While the original Google knew its purpose and how to achieve it, today’s Google is juggling competing interests. A Google query might just as easily bring back video clips, images, or shopping links, as it might a text result. Modern Google is trying to solve for a new math proof, ‘What does the best result look like?”

It might also be struggling, just a tiny bit, to maintain relevance. Gen Z prefers searching with TikTok instead of traditional search engines.

Even so, no platform handles complex queries like Google. We use it because Google is so effective at answering not just single-word queries, but full-sentence questions (AI is taking that to paragraphs).

Do you feel lucky?

25 years in, the solution to the Web remains Google.

Still, I do miss the simpler times of Google where a query returned a spare page that focused less on juggling a smorgasbord of multimedia than just a list of relevant results with the keywords highlighted in blue (and cached pages that I miss to this day). The rabbit hole of information was confined to similar results and not much else.

A vestige of those simpler times remains on Google: the “I Feel Lucky” button.

It’s been there almost from day one, a randomized search result based not on a query but Google’s whim. It’s a little different now. Within the button is a set of random options like “I feel doodly”, “I feel funny,” and so on. With each click, you can get a different result, a new avenue of wild discovery.

Without Google, it might be impossible to effectively search the web but then it also might be a more egalitarian space where even the smallest bit of seemingly inconsequential information could rise up and be found.

When I clicked the “doodly” one, I got a retrospective of 25 years of Google Doodles. Another click on “I feel playful” gave my entire page result a barrel roll (the screen rotated as if it was rolling). And when I clicked “I feel lucky”, I got a list of animal sounds that I could play. All nods to the many Google easter eggs we've seen over the years.

It reminds me that while Google and the efforts of those who seek to appear on the first page in Google Search results are serious business, redefining the web didn’t start out that way.

The web of the 1990s was mysterious, funny, weird, dangerous, and entertaining. It was unknowable and exciting because you never knew what you were going to find. Until Google came along; then we knew exactly what we wanted and how to find it.

You might also like

https://ift.tt/K7X4keD

Tuesday, 26 September 2023

Quordle today - hints and answers for Wednesday, September 27 (game #611)

It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. 

Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's fun, but also difficult.

What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keeping it fresh in the form of a variant called the Daily Sequence, which sees you complete four puzzles consecutively, rather than concurrently. 

But Quordle is tough, so if you already find yourself searching for Wordle hints, you'll probably need some for this game too. 

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #611 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

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 #611) - 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 #611) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

The total number of vowels across today's Quordle answers is 9.

Quordle today (game #611) - hint #3 - 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 #611) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 12.

Quordle today (game #611) - hint #5 - 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 #611) - hint #6 - 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 #611) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• N

• C

• E

• C

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

Quordle today (game #611) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 611 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #611, are…

  • NOISY
  • CLEAT
  • EAGER
  • CARAT

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


Daily Sequence today (game #611) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 611 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #611, are…

  • HUNCH
  • STARK
  • SERIF
  • SWEEP

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #610, Tuesday 26 September: SEDAN, CHARD, CHASM, GUSTO
  • Quordle #609, Monday 25 September: LEASH, GAZER, GUILE, KNEED
  • Quordle #608, Sunday 24 September: LUCKY, ANGRY, QUIET, LUCID
  • Quordle #607, Saturday 23 September: HEARD, LOATH, GUEST, SIGMA
  • Quordle #606, Friday 22 September: CHILI, METRO, PUREE, KIOSK
  • Quordle #605, Thursday 21 September: AWARE, SHONE, SHADE, SHELF
  • Quordle #604, Wednesday 20 September: TAMER, SNOUT, BLAND, SLEEP
  • Quordle #603, Tuesday 19 September: WACKY, LAYER, FRUIT, MINER
  • Quordle #602, Monday 18 September: SWEAR, LOWLY, STAND, UPSET
  • Quordle #601, Sunday 17 September: SCRUB, DUSTY, QUOTH, UNCLE
  • Quordle #600, Saturday 16 September: FLAIL, ALTAR, YACHT, HAUNT
  • Quordle #599, Friday 15 September: FISHY, DRAKE, TORUS, SMOTE
  • Quordle #598, Thursday 14 September: CHEST, RIVER, THERE, EMCEE
  • Quordle #597, Wednesday 13 September: GUESS, MICRO, DROOP, ELATE
  • Quordle #596, Tuesday 12 September: CYNIC, GRUEL, CACTI, TOWER
  • Quordle #595, Monday 11 September: RECUT, GREED, COVER, METER
  • Quordle #594, Sunday 10 September: TRAIN, RIPER, BLACK, SCRAM
  • Quordle #593, Saturday 9 September: MARRY, INFER, STALE, SUITE
  • Quordle #592, Friday 8 September: SAPPY, STALL, RAYON, CIVIC
  • Quordle #591, Thursday 7 September: JOUST, RIVER, PENNY, CHALK

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

Where Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day, Quordle presents you with four puzzles to solve. And rather than complete them in turn, you do so simultaneously. You get nine guesses, rather than the six for Wordle, but the rules are otherwise very similar. 

It's played online via the Quordle website and you can also get to it via the Merriam-Webster site, after the dictionary purchased Quordle last year

As with Wordle, the answers are the same for every player each day, meaning that you're competing against the rest of the world. And also as with Wordle, the puzzle resets at midnight so you have a fresh challenge each day.

The website also includes a practice mode - which I definitely recommend using before attempting the game proper! - and there are daily stats including a streak count. You also get Quordle Achievements - specific badges for winning a game in a certain number of turns, playing lots of times, or guessing particularly hard words.

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

The rules of Quordle are almost identical to those of Wordle.

1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.

2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow. 

3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray…

4. …BUT the word you guess appears in all quadrants of the puzzle at the same time, so an A could turn green in one square, yellow in another and gray in the final two. 

5. Answers are never plural.

6. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.

7. Each guess must be a valid word in Quordle's dictionary. You can't guess ABCDE, for instance.

8. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses and there is no equivalent of Wordle's Hard mode.

9. You have nine guesses to find the Quordle answers.

10. You must complete the daily Quordle before midnight in your timezone.

What is a good Quordle strategy?

Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can't blindly throw letters at it and expect to win - you'll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That's the case in Wordle too, of course, but it's even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won't want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words. 

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options - you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe - but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you're faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options - for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH - you'll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options. 

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It's risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it's the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure - you simply don't have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.

https://ift.tt/UwC95Pf

Say goodbye to Google Podcasts, you’ll be forced to use YouTube Music by 2024

Google announced that Google Podcasts app users will have to migrate to YouTube Music later in 2024, as part of its wider efforts to transfer users and listeners to its new all-in-one app.

Google previously expressed its intention to help out podcast creators through its YouTube service, with plans revealed as early as March 2022. This includes a dedicated podcast section on the video and streaming site complete with thumbnails, timestamps, and various playlists. There’s also the ability to integrate podcast RSS feeds, including users being able to upload their own feeds to YouTube by the end of 2023.

In order to facilitate the migration, Google stated that it would make YouTube Music “more of a destination for podcast fans with features focused on discovery, community, and switching between audio podcasts and video,” according to TechCrunch. This is similar to Spotify’s own efforts to support video podcasters, which started in 2022.

This feels like a repeat of what happened to Google Play Music, which was permanently shut down in December 2020 in favor of YouTube Music. Users had a limited window to transfer over uploads, purchases, added songs and albums, personal and subscribed playlists, likes and dislikes, curated stations, and personal taste preferences before the old app closed for good.

Why YouTube Music is a smart and anti-consumer service 

Google is clearly trying to make YouTube one of the best Android apps on the market. Though this push for YouTube Music feels anti-consumer to me, Google obviously has plenty of financial incentive to do so. 

For instance, Edison states that “about 23% of weekly podcast users in the U.S. say YouTube is their most frequently used service versus just 4% for Google Podcasts.” It makes sense to completely convert that last percentage of users into a revenue source for its new service, and make said move as attractive as possible by offering new features and tools. 

Those same features and tools could have been offered on the previous app, of course4.

As a former Google Play Music user, I remember finding out after switching to a new phone that I would no longer be able to access a digital album I purchased in 2011 unless I made the switch to YouTube Music. But, unlike Play Music, YouTube Music doesn’t have a free tier, which meant I would have to pay Google to access a product I purchased.

Being forced to move to a service that charges a fee is great for business but not so great for users.

You might also like

https://ift.tt/4XTQlJq