NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, May 23 (game #811)

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, May 22 (game #810).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Staying alive

NYT Strands today (game #811) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• VITAMIN
• HATERS
• MINT
• LIST
• PATCH
• ROAR

NYT Strands today (game #811) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #811) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 1st row

Last side: right, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #811) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #811, are…

• TARP
• SHOVEL
• HATCHET
• MACHETE
• PARACORD
• FLINT
• SPANGRAM: SURVIVALIST

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

While I admire the hardy folk prepared to rely on wilderness skills to survive in moments of danger, the fact that Bear Grylls once apologised when it was revealed he'd stayed in a motel while filming a show about surviving alone on a desert island tells me all I need to know about it — it’s just a hobby. 

That said, if I am in a catastrophic situation on a desert island and the resorts are full, then I’d like to borrow your TARP please.

Finding today’s SURVIVALIST party list was far from elementary. The spangram and TARP were easy enough, but I struggled to find the others and needed a hint to help me cross the line.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, May 22, game #810)

• BOUNDLESS
• VAST
• EPIC
  IMMENSE
• WHOPPING
• ASTRONOMIC
• SPANGRAM: ITSBIG

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/smobwNJ

Your Wi-Fi could be holding you back from achieving success, report warns

• SMBs are suffering due to unreliable Wi-Fi connection
• UK small businesses are losing an average of 11 hours a week to Wi-Fi disruption
• Almost half (47%) of business leaders said they would feel more confident if they could improve connectivity reliability

Small businesses are seeinn major productivity issues due to disruption caused by their Wi-Fi connectivity, new research has claimed.

The findings from Zen Internet claim small businesses are losing an average of 11 hours a week due to connection issues.

And this isn't just a minor annoyance or loss of network - nearly 4 in 10 SMBs say the problems are directly costing them revenue.

Wi-Fi causing problems

The scale of the issue was perhaps best reflected by the finding that almost half (47%) of the business leaders surveyed for the report saying they would feel more confident in their company’s success if they could improve connectivity reliability.

Half of senior business decision makers said poor Wi-Fi coverage inside their premises limits the value they get from broadband connectivity, while 39% say connectivity issues are directly causing lost revenue.

“We often talk about productivity in terms of skills, investment and innovation, but digital reliability has become just as fundamental," noted Jon Nowell, managing director of Zen’s business division.

“For many SMEs, poor in-building connectivity is now a hidden operational cost. If businesses are expected to modernise and grow, the technology experience inside offices, retail spaces and hospitality venues has to keep pace too.”

The research also found connectivity problems were affecting day-to-day running of a business, as 23% said connectivity disruption impacts communication with customers or suppliers.

A similar amount (22%) say it directly slows down operations, 21% said it disrupts digital payments, and 22% said it contributes to lost sales or missed opportunities.

“Small businesses are under pressure to operate faster, serve customers seamlessly and rely more heavily on cloud-based systems, digital payments and connected devices than ever before," added Nowell.

“But too many businesses still have a disconnect between the broadband coming into the building and the actual experience staff and customers are getting day to day."

“You can have access to full fibre, but if the WiFi inside the premises isn’t reliable, businesses still lose productivity, sales opportunities and operational efficiency.”

https://ift.tt/JfpMCc4

NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, May 22 (game #810)

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, May 21 (game #809).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Put down your ruler

NYT Strands today (game #810) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SAVE
• BITES
• PANG
• PASTE
• MITE
• WING

NYT Strands today (game #810) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 6 letters

NYT Strands today (game #810) - 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 #810) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #810, are…

• BOUNDLESS
• VAST
• EPIC
  IMMENSE
• WHOPPING
• ASTRONOMIC
• SPANGRAM: ITSBIG

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

Today’s search was for words that describe something enormous, tied together with the ironically small spangram ITSBIG.

Before properly starting today’s game I wasted a ridiculous amount of time trying to link together the word pistachio. After abandoning this quest I saw BOUNDLESS, but was still uncertain of the theme, so took a hint — which made me feel really silly for not spotting the theme.

Today’s search contains one of my most hated words in WHOPPING, which is only ever used by news reporters in connection with large quantities of money. It is such a cliched word. It is meant to indicate that the sum in question is staggeringly enormous, but if that’s the case then why do we need the word WHOPPING in front of it to tell us, surely its enormity would be evident already — after all, “one million dollars” is exactly the same as “a WHOPPING one million dollars”. It’s a very low-level irritation, I’ll admit!

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, May 21, game #809)

• WOOL
• SATIN
• VELVET
• COTTON
• SILK
• DENIM
• FLEECE
• LINEN
• SPANGRAM: FABRICS

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/rGdcN1m

Discord just made your voice and video calls more private and secure than ever — but age verification privacy concerns haven't been dispelled

• Discord has implemented end-to-end (E2EE) encryption for voice and video calls by default
• This is possible via its E2EE protocol, DAVE (Discord's Audio & Video End-to-End Encryption)
• Discord doesn't plan to use E2EE for text messages

Discord is hard at work to regain the trust of its users, with recent moves including adding Xbox Game Pass to Nitro and improving streaming on Linux, but it's not slowing down, judging by its latest move — even if it still may not be enough to appease everyone.

In its latest blog post, Discord announced that every voice and video call will now include end-to-end encryption (E2EE) by default on its platforms. This means calls are now completely private and secure, and only those within a call can hear conversations.

Discord highlights that calls can consist of users on PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles, or via a web browser on a laptop or phone, which requires an E2EE protocol that works "seamlessly across all of those surfaces simultaneously", which isn't exactly an easy feat.

Fortunately, the rollout of E2EE using DAVE (Discord's Audio & Video End-to-End Encryption) began earlier in March 2026, which requires all clients to support DAVE before joining a call. Now, Discord is in the process of "removing the client code that supports unencrypted fallback", and once complete, unencrypted connections will be a thing of the past.

(Image credit: Discord)

It's certainly a move that will have users feel more secure with private conversations on calls, especially with Discord's recent privacy concerns regarding global age verification. However, those controversial age verification plans are still slated for implementation in late 2026, and Discord currently has no plans to use E2EE for text messages.

It's worth noting that Discord has faced multiple cases of security breaches recently, revealing over 70,000 government ID photos, and that's exactly what the age verification checks require users (who aren't automatically verified) to submit.

Discord is moving in the right direction by doubling down on features like E2EE, but it's also not helping itself by doubling down on age verification, which is only mandatory for users in regions where new online child safety laws have been passed. Hopefully, those plans are revised, but it doesn't look like that's set to happen.

https://ift.tt/LEJiTbC

NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, May 21 (game #809)

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, May 20 (game #808).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… In a material world

NYT Strands today (game #809) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• MINK
• FLOW
• FOOL
• RIFLE
• BELT
• STONK

NYT Strands today (game #809) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 7 letters

NYT Strands today (game #809) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 4th 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 #809) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #809, are…

• WOOL
• SATIN
• VELVET
• COTTON
• SILK
• DENIM
• FLEECE
• LINEN
• SPANGRAM: FABRICS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

This was my 91st “spangram first” and I don’t think I’ve ever seen an easier one.

Madonna lyrics aside there was only one possible topic today’s theme could be referencing, made even more obvious by the FABRICS lurking across the center of the board.

From here on in there continued to be no surprises as we collected eight of the most common materials, with no room for leather, latex, lamé, spandex or bacon and thus eliminating 95% of Lady Gaga’s wardrobe. That said, she must have a FLEECE jacket somewhere.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, May 20, game #808)

• RELAXED
• SLOW
• LEISURELY
• PLACID
• CALM
• GENTLE
• SPANGRAM: TAKEYOURTIME

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/1UIlwdK

NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, May 20 (game #808)

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, May 19 (game #807).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… No rush

NYT Strands today (game #808) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• MEAL
• KEYS
• SLICE
• GATE
• RULE
• PLACES

NYT Strands today (game #808) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #808) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: top, 4th column

Last side: bottom, 3rd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #808) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #808, are…

• RELAXED
• SLOW
• LEISURELY
• PLACID
• CALM
• GENTLE
• SPANGRAM: TAKEYOURTIME

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

One of the many downsides of aging is that you get slower, while the world around you speeds up. I feel this doubly so as a knee injury means that I can currently only perambulate the world at snail’s pace.

Regardless, I still feel that people are in too much of a hurry to get to places they don’t need to rush to and I am fully on board with the promotion of today’s words into the consciousness of a chaotic planet.

Ironically I didn’t really employ the mantra TAKEYOURTIME as I zoomed through the search beginning with the letter X, which pointed me towards RELAXED. 

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, May 19, game #807)

• MOUND
• HILL
• KNOLL
• SLOPE
• RIDGE
• BUTTE
• HUMMOCK
• SPANGRAM: HIGHERGROUND

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/izWpmAD

Google I/O 2026 live — Gemini upgrades, Android XR, and more of what to expect from today's big software showcase

Is it that time of year again? Google I/O 2026 kicks off today, with the two-day software showcase set to run from May 19 to May 20.

Google tends to reveal its biggest announcements at an introductory keynote, which takes place today at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST (or 3am AET tomorrow if you're reading from Australia), and we'll be following along with that event here.

Google already teased a host of Android 17 upgrades during its recent Android Show broadcast, so we're expecting today's announcements to focus on Gemini, Search, and Android XR specifically. Might we finally see some fully-fledged Android XR-powered smart glasses released for sale? It's about time...

We've rounded up the 5 biggest things to expect at Google I/O 2026 elsewhere on TechRadar, but stick with us here for a beat-by-beat breakdown of the event itself.

Google I/O 2026 — how to watch

Google's I/O 2026 keynote kicks off at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST, or 3am AET on May 20, and you can tune into proceedings via the above YouTube link.

If you hit the ‘Notify Me’ button on the full YouTube page, you’ll also get a reminder when the event is about to start, and if you can't tune in live, don't worry — the video will almost certainly remain up, so you can watch it after the fact.

Google I/O 2026 — what to expect

We don't know for sure what Google is cooking up for I/O 2026, but we can make some pretty confident predictions based on various leaks and rumors:

• A new Google Gemini agent — possibly called Remy — is reportedly in the works; it'll supposedly run digital errands, monitor routines, and help connect you with apps and services
• Google has been teasing its Android XR-powered smart glasses for a long time now — might we finally see them unveiled at I/O 2026?
• AI Search dominated Google I/O 2025, so it tracks that Google will again reveal upgrades to Search at I/O 2026
• We could get our first look at Aluminum OS, a unified operating system that will supposedly merge Android and ChromeOS into one platform
• Google already told us what to expect from Android 17 at The Android Show, but Gemini Intelligence could get another chance to shine at I/O

(Image credit: Google)

Welcome to our Google I/O 2026 live blog! Stick with us as we predict what to expect from today’s big software showcase, before reporting on the event as it happens.

As a reminder, Google's livestream kicks off at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST (or 3am AET tomorrow if you're reading from Australia), and you can tune in via the video link above.

I/O keynotes tend to run for between one and two hours, so expect things to be wrapped up by 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 8pm BST / 5am AET.

Is it Android XR time?

Google has been teasing its Android XR smart glasses for what seems like forever at this point, but might we finally see them unveiled at I/O 2026? We make our predictions in the video above.

Google-what?

(Image credit: Future)

The Googlebook was a real oddity of Google's The Android Show broadcast. Is it hardware? Is it software? Google's first Gemini-centric platform is, seemingly, a bit of both, but we're not entirely sure how it works just yet. Here's hoping we get a little more color on this new "intelligence system" at I/O 2026.

Google I/O is typically reserved for software announcements, so we're not expecting much in the way of hardware news from today's event. But if you are wondering about the company's latest physical products, Google recently launched a super slim screenless fitness tracker, the Fitbit Air.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

(Image credit: Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

As for where Google I/O is taking place, it'll kick off — like always— at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. That's basically Google's version of the Steve Jobs Theater, which, by the way, is just a 16-minute drive away. Keep an eye out for Apple CEO John Ternus peeking over the fence.

https://ift.tt/IZWFtua

NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, May 19 (game #807)

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, May 18 (game #806).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… On the rise

NYT Strands today (game #807) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• MOCK
• HULL
• POKE
• ROLL
• GREEK
• DIRGE

NYT Strands today (game #807) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #807) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: bottom, 1st column

Last side: bottom, 3rd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #807) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #807, are…

• MOUND
• HILL
• KNOLL
• SLOPE
• RIDGE
• BUTTE
• HUMMOCK
• SPANGRAM: HIGHERGROUND

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

I had never heard of the word HUMMOCK before, but then I don’t frequent that many peat bogs, so I think I can be forgiven. It’s a great word to say, though.

The rest of the words describing HIGHERGROUND I am more familiar with, especially as I am currently training for a very hilly long-distance cycle ride in September and trying to build up the ability to get up any HILL without moaning, groaning and stopping. As a consequence I am recalibrating some things I used to regard as hills as now a mere SLOPE.

Meanwhile, BUTTE took me a little while as I initially thought it only had one T – which would instead be the rather rugged Scottish island, which I have discovered via a Google search contains a large number of hummocks.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, May 18, game #806)

• ORANGE
• CLEMENTINE
• LIME
• KUMQUAT
• POMELO
• TANGERINE
• SPANGRAM: CITRUS

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/yCT1Xz3

Discord's latest 'year of the Linux desktop' update is a game-changer for Steam Deck, but fans are concerned about its age verification plans

• Discord has released a major update for Linux users
• Game and screen sharing has been improved with hardware-accelerated video encoding now supported via Nvidia, AMD, and Intel GPUs
• It comes as users remain frustrated about global age verification plans

Discord on Linux, particularly on the Steam Deck or SteamOS handhelds, has been plagued by functionality issues, and a new update has finally addressed them — but users aren't buying it.

As reported by TweakTown, Discord announced a new major update for Linux in a video titled the 'year of the Linux desktop', providing significant improvements to game (or screen) capturing capabilities, including smaller updates to notifications and game detection.

Notably, hardware-accelerated video encoding is now supported on Nvidia, AMD, and Intel GPUs for Discord, for better video quality without a drawback on game performance.

Discord will also capture games using Vulkan or Valve's Gamescope, and that's great news for devices like the Steam Deck or the Lenovo Legion Go S SteamOS, as more system resources can be used on games, ultimately improving performance and battery life while streaming to friends.

That's all good and well in the eyes of Discord users on Linux, and it has even joined in on the year of the Linux desktop meme (essentially the hope that Linux will surpass Windows) — and sure, this update has definitely taken it a step closer to that, but it's not enough to win fans over.

Instead, the comments on the video are consistent with users stating it's the 'year of age verification', criticizing Discord for its global age verification plans, which are still slated for late 2026.

This major Linux update comes around the same time as the Discord and Xbox collaboration, which gives Nitro users access to a starter edition of Xbox Game Pass. It seems as though Discord is trying its best to soften the blow from its controversial move, but it's quite clear that users aren't willing to let the age verification issues go.

https://ift.tt/zVhZRHL

NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, May 18 (game #806)

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, May 17 (game #805).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… The daily rind

NYT Strands today (game #806) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SURE
• MULE
• CAMEL
• POLE
• GATE
• GNAT

NYT Strands today (game #806) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 6 letters

NYT Strands today (game #806) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 3rd row

Last side: right, 8th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #806) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #806, are…

• ORANGE
• CLEMENTINE
• LIME
• KUMQUAT
• POMELO
• TANGERINE
• SPANGRAM: CITRUS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Another easy game, although it was made slightly harder with the elimination of the most common of CITRUS fruits, the lemon.

In lemon’s place we had two lesser-spotted fruits: the KUMQUAT, which is like a miniature orange and which is often used to make marmalade, and POMELO, a pomegranate-melon hybrid which took me a couple of goes to get because I kept trying to connect it as polemo.

After finishing the game I was excited to discover that the polemo does actually exist and is famous (although not that famous, obviously) for being the largest citrus fruit.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, May 17, game #805)

• SCOREBOARD
• LANES
• PINS
• BALLS
• LOUNGE
• ARCADE
• SPANGRAM: BOWLINGALLEY

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/cBmUi1h

NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, May 17 (game #805)

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, May 16 (game #804).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Strike one!

NYT Strands today (game #805) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• RACE
• BLADE
• SPIN
• LAND
• BREAD
• LACED

NYT Strands today (game #805) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #805) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: top, 2nd column

Last side: bottom, 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 #805) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #805, are…

• SCOREBOARD
• LANES
• PINS
• BALLS
• LOUNGE
• ARCADE
• SPANGRAM: BOWLINGALLEY

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I scored my 88th Spangram First today, although BOWLINGALLEY was not exactly hard to spot — they may as well have put flashing neon bulbs around it.

To say that I found this search easier than a game of Ten Pin Bowling would be an understatement. Although I love playing the game — I even like the shoes — I am shockingly bad at it and in the unlikely event that I ever get a strike I will follow it up with 1s and 2s that defy science.

I was, then, familiar with all the many aspects and attractions of a BOWLINGALLEY although I spent longest over the final word ARCADE.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, May 16, game #804)

• MOUSSE
• CROISSANT
• ECLAIR
• MACARON
• MERINGUE
• SPANGRAM: FRENCHBAKERY

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/7Szt204

No, Google is not ending its 15GB of free Gmail storage policy — it's testing a 5GB initial limit that jumps to the full amount if you add a phone number

• Google is changing its storage policy for new Gmail accounts
• New accounts in some regions will only get 5GB of free storage space
• Adding a phone number will unlock the standard 15GB of room

For many years, Google has given users 15GB of free cloud storage space when they sign up for Gmail (which is actually shared across Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Drive) — but a change to that policy is now being trialled.

Google has confirmed to Android Authority that it is "testing" a new approach in "select regions" where new users only get 5GB initially. That then goes up to the full 15GB once the account owner adds a phone number to their details.

This is only for new accounts, only in certain parts of the world, and only a test (for now) — if you've already got a Google account, nothing is going to happen to your 15GB of free storage for Gmail and Google's other services.

The move will "help us continue to provide a high quality storage service to our users, while encouraging users to improve their account security and data recovery" says Google. It sounds as though Google wants to be better able to verify identities behind accounts, while also collecting more data on its users, of course.

Paying with your privacy

Gmail now gives 5gb free if you sign up without phone number from r/degoogle

Officially, Google doesn't require a phone number when you create a new account, though if you search the web you'll find it does sometimes insist on a number being registered. It's not clear why exactly, but the requirement may kick in if Google's systems suspect some kind of fraudulent or spam activity.

The new approach means adding a phone number isn't compulsory — but you'll only get a third of the free storage if you do. The change was originally reported by PiunikaWeb based on a Reddit thread from a user who hit the limitation.

Reactions on that thread are about as negative as you might expect: one commenter suggests Google has moved to "the 'bribery for your data' stage", while another says that "you're paying for your privacy" if you sign up with Gmail.

This comes against the backdrop of a wider age verification crackdown in tech, with an increasing number of apps and websites asking users to confirm they are who they say they are, ostensibly to boost user security and safely silo off adult content.

https://ift.tt/ZFQ6NmL

NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, May 16 (game #804)

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, May 15 (game #803).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Bon appétit

NYT Strands today (game #804) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• STAGE
• CUTE
• RING
• RACE
• NEAR
• FRAME

NYT Strands today (game #804) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #804) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 1st row

Last side: right, 7th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #804) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #804, are…

• MOUSSE
• CROISSANT
• ECLAIR
• MACARON
• MERINGUE
• SPANGRAM: FRENCHBAKERY

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Seeing the word “French” along the top row was impossible to ignore making FRENCHBAKERY, one of the easiest-to-spot spangrams I can remember.

From here on in it was simply a case of how much patisserie you are familiar with — as someone who is a fan of TV cooking shows and of eating as many cakes and pastries as possible, I found it all rather easy. That said, I'm sure everyone saw MOUSSE immediately too.

Indeed the biggest challenge of the day was spelling CROISSANT. Actually, scratch that, the biggest challenge of the day is not leaving my desk to go out to buy a CROISSANT.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, May 15, game #803)

• OTTER
• BADGER
• FERRET
• MARTEN
• POLECAT
• WOLVERINE
• SPANGRAM: MUSTELIDS

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/PjKQFLr

Quordle hints and answers for Friday, May 15 (game #1572)

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, May 14 (game #1571).

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 #1572) - 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 #1572) - hint #2 - repeated letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #1572) - 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 #1572) - 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 #1572) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• E

• S

• F

• P

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

Quordle today (game #1572) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1572, are…

• EPOCH
• SPIKY
• FAINT
• PENNE

I could only think of two words ending A-I-N-T from the letters I had left: “taint” or FAINT.

Typically, I guessed the wrong of the two, but fortunately I had enough space left to make an error. No stress.

Daily Sequence today (game #1572) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1572, are…

• SAUNA
• COUNT
• ROUSE
• GROSS

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1571, Thursday, 14 May: SEVEN, DECRY, VILLA, MILKY
• Quordle #1570, Wednesday, 13 May: SKUNK, CHAFE, INTER, SOOTH
• Quordle #1569, Tuesday, 12 May: AGLOW, AVAIL, BADLY, STING
• Quordle #1568, Monday, 11 May: CLUMP, SALTY, BOAST, YIELD
• Quordle #1567, Sunday, 10 May: DONOR, FAITH, ROBOT, EXILE
• Quordle #1566, Saturday, 9 May: SHALL, ERUPT, WISER, DRIER
• Quordle #1565, Friday, 8 May: TOXIN, HELIX, FLOUT, ADULT
• Quordle #1564, Thursday, 7 May: DEALT, LOWLY, AHEAD, CHEEK
• Quordle #1563, Wednesday, 6 May: DRESS, SWIFT, HOARD, STEAD
• Quordle #1562, Tuesday, 5 May: SNEER, NEVER, RAMEN, TODDY
• Quordle #1561, Monday, 4 May: IMBUE, FIFTY, STEEP, PINTO
• Quordle #1560, Sunday, 3 May: HATER, FORCE, BASTE, TROUT
• Quordle #1559, Saturday, 2 May: DENIM, WAIVE, CHANT, RENAL
• Quordle #1558, Friday, 1 May: LUMEN, LINEN, GOING, THANK
• Quordle #1557, Thursday, 30 April: LOYAL, CACHE, SWEAT, LIGHT
• Quordle #1556, Wednesday, 29 April: TRAIL, RENEW, BELLE, GREED
• Quordle #1555, Tuesday, 28 April: CLINK, BONUS, BRUSH, DRIER
• Quordle #1554, Monday, 27 April: ARGUE, LUNAR, SEVER, THEIR
• Quordle #1553, Sunday, 26 April: PITHY, BOAST, PRIED, BLIMP
• Quordle #1552, Saturday, 25 April: RESET, DRINK, DEITY, SLACK

https://ift.tt/uzOoJA4

Europe wants to dodge troublesome regions by building undersea cables beneath the Arctic

• The EU is considering routing subsea cables through the Artic
• It aims to avoid regions of conflict and instability such as Russia and Iran
• The routes are projected to cost €2 billion and be operational by 2030

If you currently access or communicate with the internet in Asia as a European, around 90% of your traffic travels via subsea internet cables in the Middle East.

Given the recent conflict between the US and Iran, expanding capacity and building new projects has been a bit of a non-starter, as Meta well knows.

To combat this bottleneck, and to avoid the obvious troubles of navigating the internet via Russia, the European Union wants to take the Northwest Passage, or transit the North Pole.

Putting the internet on ice

The two proposed solutions, under the name Polar Connect, come with their own challenges, but apparently the EU is willing to take icebergs and thick sea ice over a region of periodic instability and Vladimir Putin, so much so that the EU has listed Polar Connect as a priority project with an operational goal of 2030.

For one route, going via the Northwest Passage in Canada to Asia, there is the obvious issue that has plagued navigators from John Cabot to John Franklin: the region is packed with sea ice. The unfortunate silver lining is that climate change has reduced the Arctic ice pack by a considerable amount, making the route a viable option.

As for the North Pole route, the cables would start in Scandinavia and travel across the North Pole.

Both routes would require specialist ice-breaking cable-laying equipment with a hefty price tag, or one ship to break ice and another to lay cable - which is equally expensive. But the costs seem to be a reasonable price to pay to have a more reliable connection with Asia.

This isn’t the first time undersea cables have been laid beneath the Arctic ocean. Quintillion was the last company to attempt such a venture, and had some success. A length of cable began at Nome, ran along the northern coast of Alaska, and reached Prudhoe Bay. Unfortunately, icebergs can drag their lower halves across the bottom of the seafloor at depths beyond that of an undersea cable, damaging or even cutting them in an event known as an “ice scour”.

When Quintillion encountered this problem in June 2023, they did not have access to an icebreaker and so had to wait for the ice to melt before being able to repair the cable. The same happened again in January 2025, leading to an eight month downtime leaving many Alaskans without high-speed internet. Quintillion never laid the rest of the route to Asia.

But given the expense of attempting to lay, repair cables — and navigate the potential taxation of undersea cables by unfriendly nations in the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden — a €2 billion route through the Arctic provides Europe with sovereignty over their cables, and the data flowing through it.

Via The Verge

https://ift.tt/sW17vQ5

NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, May 14 (game #802)

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, May 13 (game #801).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Men in tights

NYT Strands today (game #802) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CHEER
• FROST
• TOWN
• GUIDE
• YEAR
• SHIN

NYT Strands today (game #802) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #802) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 1st row

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

NYT Strands today (game #802) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #802, are…

• ARCHERY
• DISGUISE
• FOREST
• FRIAR
• OUTLAW
• SHERIFF
• SPANGRAM: ROBINHOOD

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

“Men in tights” could only mean one thing surely? Superheroes and their sidekicks. It was with confidence therefore that I tapped out “robin” — the name of Batman’s sidekick back in the tights era. Alas, it was not to be.

Fortunately I spotted “hood” on the top row and realized that the “men in tights” we were seeking were from an era far beyond the 1960s.

From here on it was just a case of remembering the significant factors of the ROBIN HOOD tale — although the only version I’m familiar with involved a fox, a tortoise and a bear who was into jazz.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, May 13, game #801)

• SPUNK
• PLUCK
• GRIT
• NERVE
• GUMPTION
• FIBER
• HEART
• SPANGRAM: WHATITTAKES

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/LGHBh5p

NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, May 13 (game #801)

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, May 12 (game #800).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… You’ve got…

NYT Strands today (game #801) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• PRUNE
• TEAM
• BRIEF
• PURE
• RUNT
• TIME

NYT Strands today (game #801) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #801) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: top, 3rd column

Last side: bottom, 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 #801) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #801, are…

• SPUNK
• PLUCK
• GRIT
• NERVE
• GUMPTION
• FIBER
• HEART
• SPANGRAM: WHATITTAKES

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

The theme confused me to begin with, then after finding “what” as I hunted for any words to give me a hint, the mists cleared and I completed the sentence “you’ve got…” WHATITTAKES.

There were some great words in today’s search, a task which was made easier by finding the two containing the letter K in SPUNK and PLUCK and moving onwards from here.

GRIT and NERVE are still spoken about a lot particularly in sports commentaries, but GUMPTION is a word due a revival both in use and in spirit. It is also a quality unique to humans — more GUMPTION coupled with HEART makes the world a better place.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, May 12, game #800)

• TUXEDO
• PALAZZO
• HAREM
• GAUCHO
• TOREADOR
• SAILOR
• SPANGRAM: FANCYPANTS

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/Ynb0Wco

Discord Nitro is actually worth it now, and it's all thanks to this new partnership with Xbox

• Discord has announced its Nitro subscription service will now include Xbox Game Pass
• The new starter edition will include access to 50+ games and 10 hours of cloud gaming
• All of Nitro's benefits will also be available alongside Game Pass at no extra cost

Discord has been at the center of controversy in 2026, due to its push for global age verification on the social platform, but its latest move may win some users over.

In a new blog post, Discord announced that its Nitro subscription will now include the new Xbox Game Pass starter edition membership, at no extra cost, allowing users to enjoy the benefits of Nitro's high-quality streaming capabilities and customization, alongside access to 50+ games via Game Pass.

This comes after it was effectively leaked earlier in April, serving as one of the big moves from Xbox under the helm of new CEO, Asha Sharma. It's a big move for both Xbox and Discord, but more so for the latter, considering the large number of its users who were threatening (or proceeded) to cancel Nitro subscriptions to stop the age verification plans.

Those plans haven't gone anywhere, as they're still slated for the latter stage of 2026, but adding Game Pass to Nitro benefits may help shift the attention elsewhere — and while the library is significantly smaller compared to PC Game Pass (which has 300+ games), it's two birds with one stone for consumers, for only $9.99 / £9.49 / AU$14.99 (which may vary due to localized pricing).

(Image credit: Microsoft )

Some of those games included are Fallout 4, Stardew Valley, Deep Rock Galactic, and Overcooked 2, including access to 10 hours of cloud gaming each month. There's no clarity on how upgrades to higher tiers will work via Discord's Nitro subscription, and whether the cost to upgrade is cut, but it's a great start.

The new addition to Nitro is currently within its rollout phase, which will span over the next few weeks, and Discord emphasizes that this collaboration is essentially its way of encouraging users to join Nitro specifically, "if you've been on the fence" about the service.

https://ift.tt/tGDsFEg