NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, June 1 (game #820)

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 31 (game #819).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Shall we gather for lunch?

NYT Strands today (game #820) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• PRONE
• CHART
• STORY
• TINGE
• BAKER
• CHAIR

NYT Strands today (game #820) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 8 letters

NYT Strands today (game #820) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 3rd 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 #820) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #820, are…

• RAMP
• MOREL
• NETTLE
• BLACKBERRY
• CHESTNUT
• CHICORY
• SPANGRAM: FORAGING

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

I had no idea what today’s theme was to begin with and assumed it was some pop culture reference that had passed me by — like a quote from Golden Girls or the punchline of a Tim Robinson sketch.

My first hint word of RAMP didn’t help much either, but after I took a second hint of MOREL I got it — this is all about FORAGING, I thought, as the spangram magically appeared before my eyes.

Foraging is one of those things that sounds brilliant — it’s natural, resourceful and free — but I just know that I would get it wrong and pick the wrong kind of CHESTNUT or mushroom and end up poisoning myself.

BLACKBERRY picking is the most common form of foraging (for one week a year) where I live, but I still managed to get that wrong and give myself stomach pain once. 

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, May 31, game #819)

• MARKET
• MUSEUM
• BEACH
• CASTLE
• RESTAURANT
• MONUMENT
• SPANGRAM: TOURISM

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.

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Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, May 31 (game #1588)

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, May 30 (game #1587).

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 #1588) - 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 #1588) - hint #2 - repeated letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #1588) - 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 #1588) - 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 #1588) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• W

• M

• O

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1588) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1588, are…

• WRYLY
• MOUNT
• OVERT
• CACAO

Not the easiest of games today, with each word needing some thinking time.

The hardest was CACAO. Initially, I couldn’t think of anything that began with a C and ended in an O, but after realizing I’d already used the R in “cargo” I decided it must include a repeated letter — or in this case, two.

Daily Sequence today (game #1588) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1588, are…

• RENEW
• EBONY
• BRAVE
• SWORN

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1587, Saturday, 30 May: WHILE, TAPER, BRAWL, REPLY
• Quordle #1586, Friday, 29 May: DRIFT, CREPT, ETHOS, DECAY
• Quordle #1585, Thursday, 28 May: GRAPE, VALUE, YEARN, INFER
• Quordle #1584, Wednesday, 27 May: GAUZE, REPAY, GIANT, STEEP
• Quordle #1583, Tuesday, 26 May: MODAL, MELON, PSALM, DRAWN
• Quordle #1582, Monday, 25 May: SLIME, ARISE, EAGER, SHEIK
• Quordle #1581, Sunday, 24 May: RIGHT, STALE, FLUKE, LINEN
• Quordle #1580, Saturday, 23 May: JUICY, DREAM, IDYLL, BRAID
• Quordle #1579, Friday, 22 May: GAILY, HITCH, DRUNK, COUNT
• Quordle #1578, Thursday, 21 May: RANCH, OTTER, WREST, ILIAC
• Quordle #1577, Wednesday, 20 May: TEDDY, MINUS, TRULY, STARK
• Quordle #1576, Tuesday, 19 May: HIPPY, FORTE, HORSE, QUELL
• Quordle #1575, Monday, 18 May: CLANK, SWINE, STEAM, DRAPE
• Quordle #1574, Sunday, 17 May: WHINE, TENET, KNAVE, GREED
• Quordle #1573, Satuday, 16 May: DEMUR, THREE, SLEEP, CRUDE
• Quordle #1572, Friday, 15 May: EPOCH, SPIKY, FAINT, PENNE
• 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

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NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, May 30 (game #818)

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 29 (game #817).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… We’ll be there

NYT Strands today (game #818) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SWEAR
• RING
• FLEA
• PEAR
• BLADE
• GIRL

NYT Strands today (game #818) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #818) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 3rd 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 #818) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #818, are…

• RELIABLE
• LOYAL
• CARING
• TRUSTWORTHY
• HELPFUL
• SPANGRAM: GOODFRIENDS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I was almost disappointed when I saw RELIABLE immediately, as I like a little bit of a challenge, so to make it fun I roared through the entire game at breakneck speed.

I am sure that somewhere hidden within the letters is a Friends reference, beyond the theme itself of course, but I couldn’t find it.

Instead, we were given a selection of words to remind us of the qualities required of GOODFRIENDS.

To my mind, being LOYAL is the most important and being able to look beyond disagreements. In other words, it’s fine to hate your friends occasionally.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, May 29, game #817)

• PIGS
• COWS
• HORSES
• SHEEP
• DUCKS
• CHICKENS
• GOATS
• SPANGRAM: FARMANIMALS

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.

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Quordle hints and answers for Friday, May 29 (game #1586)

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 28 (game #1585).

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 #1586) - 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 #1586) - hint #2 - repeated letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #1586) - 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 #1586) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #1586) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• C

• E

• D

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

Quordle today (game #1586) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1586, are…

• DRIFT
• CREPT
• ETHOS
• DECAY

It’s quite unusual in Quordle to get an anagram where every letter is in an incorrect position, so it took me a while to convert “those” into ETHOS.

This minor struggle aside, I was gifted the other three words — especially CREPT, which is just one letter out from my starter word of “crypt”.

Daily Sequence today (game #1586) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1586, are…

• SHEET
• SONAR
• SALON
• SLIME

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1585, Thursday, 28 May: GRAPE, VALUE, YEARN, INFER
• Quordle #1584, Wednesday, 27 May: GAUZE, REPAY, GIANT, STEEP
• Quordle #1583, Tuesday, 26 May: MODAL, MELON, PSALM, DRAWN
• Quordle #1582, Monday, 25 May: SLIME, ARISE, EAGER, SHEIK
• Quordle #1581, Sunday, 24 May: RIGHT, STALE, FLUKE, LINEN
• Quordle #1580, Saturday, 23 May: JUICY, DREAM, IDYLL, BRAID
• Quordle #1579, Friday, 22 May: GAILY, HITCH, DRUNK, COUNT
• Quordle #1578, Thursday, 21 May: RANCH, OTTER, WREST, ILIAC
• Quordle #1577, Wednesday, 20 May: TEDDY, MINUS, TRULY, STARK
• Quordle #1576, Tuesday, 19 May: HIPPY, FORTE, HORSE, QUELL
• Quordle #1575, Monday, 18 May: CLANK, SWINE, STEAM, DRAPE
• Quordle #1574, Sunday, 17 May: WHINE, TENET, KNAVE, GREED
• Quordle #1573, Satuday, 16 May: DEMUR, THREE, SLEEP, CRUDE
• Quordle #1572, Friday, 15 May: EPOCH, SPIKY, FAINT, PENNE
• 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

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Websites are using this FROST-y new technique to spy on users by snooping on their SSD activity

• Researchers at Graz University of Technology unveiled FROST, a browser side‑channel attack
• The method can reveal visited websites and opened desktop apps, but requires large file creation
• Limitations exist, yet the study highlights how modern browser features expand the attack surface for surveillance

Security researchers have come up with a new way of spying on internet users, and they’re calling it FROST. Recently, more than half a dozen researchers from the Graz University of Technology (Austria) published a new report called “FROST: Fingerprinting Remotely using OPFS-based SSD Timing” in which they claim that there is a way to spy on user activities directly through the browser.

This is a remote side-channel technique that exploits a standard browser feature called the Origin Private File System (OPFS). Generally, a side-channel attack is a way of stealing secrets by measuring physical side effects, such as how long an action takes, how much power it uses. In this case, the researchers measured solid-state drive (SSD) access speeds, allowing them to track which websites a victim visited, and what desktop applications they opened.

“Web browsers have evolved from simple document viewers into complex platforms capable of running sophisticated applications,” the research paper says. “Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Adobe have developed full-fledged office suites, photo- and video editors, or even integrated development environments (IDEs) that run entirely within the browser.”

Limitations exist

“While these features enhance the capabilities of web applications and allow completely novel use cases, they also increase the browser’s attack surface, and some have already been shown to introduce new vulnerabilities.”

Unlike real-life exploits, those discovered in controlled environments have limitations, which make it somewhat harder to pull off in the wild. For example, the attack only works if the victim’s activity and the browser are running on the same SSD. The attack requires creating an exceptionally large file to bypass the computer’s memory cache, which can noticeably drain the victim’s free disk space and since Firefox limits storage space per website to 10GB, the attack is a little more difficult to pull off on that specific browser.

It was also said that the attacker cannot perform a quick, short measurement, because the large file must first be cleared out of the system’s memory cache. And finally, if a user runs software that completely moves their browser profile into RAM, the zero-interaction attack is successfully blocked.

Still, if you are worried about someone using FROST to snoop on you, just make sure you only keep one tab open at a time.

Via Ars Technica

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NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, May 28 (game #816)

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 27 (game #815).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Talking scents

NYT Strands today (game #816) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• DAWDLE
• SOON
• LIME
• MINER
• SLAW

NYT Strands today (game #816) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #816) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: bottom, 5th column

Last side: top, 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 #816) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #816, are…

• JASMINE
• PEAR
• SANDALWOOD
• BERAMOT
• NEROLI
• SPANGRAM: FRAGRANCE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Apart from NEROLI taking me ages, despite it being my final word, this was a fairly straightforward game with a, thankfully, sensible (unlike yesterday) spangram.

Rare letters are hard to ignore in Strands, so I went straight to JASMINE — which immediately opened up PEAR.

I was surprised that my favorite FRAGRANCE of lime was missing, but at least it made an appearance as a non-game word.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, May 27, game #815)

• FRANKFURTER
• BRAT
• FOOTLONG
• BANGER
• WEENIE
• SPANGRAM: HOTDIGGITYDOG

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.

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Researchers say Google AI Mode changes recommendations based on your emails — and it risks creating a giant confirmation-bias machine

• Researchers found brands linked to Gmail activity appeared far more often in Google AI Mode results
• The effect was strongest for shopping searches like clothing, coffee machines and running shoes
• AI-powered search could reinforce existing habits instead of helping users discover new things

We all know that AI is often so eager to help that it can feel like it's simply reflecting whatever you think back at you in a way that feels sycophantic and artificial. We’ve written quite a few articles about how to stop chatbots like Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini from doing this, usually using some variation of the “be brutally honest” or “invert” prompt.

Now it turns out that AI’s tendency to keep you inside an echo chamber may extend beyond chatting with a bot. Researchers claim that if you’ve got Google’s Personal Intelligence switched on, AI Mode could start feeding more brands from your Gmail activity back into your search results.

Gmail has the biggest influence on AI Mode

Researchers at iPullRank tested nearly 2,000 Google AI Mode responses and found that brands connected to a user’s Personal Intelligence data appeared dramatically more often in results. In accounts linked to services like Gmail, certain brands showed up in AI answers almost three times as frequently and were far more likely to appear in the top recommendations.

Gmail appeared to have the biggest influence. Brands connected through email activity were cited far more often than brands linked through other Google services like Photos. The effect was especially noticeable for everyday shopping categories such as hoodies, coffee machines and running shoes, suggesting Google’s AI recommendations may become easier to shape based on a user’s personal data and habits.

As we reported recently, Google Search is increasingly turning into AI search, whether you like it or not, but if the new research from iPullRank is accurate then Google’s new AI-powered search risks becoming a giant confirmation-bias machine, feeding users more of the brands and products they already know instead of helping them discover new ones.

Turning Personal Intelligence off

Personally, I can see the benefits of Google wanting to become an answer engine rather than just a search engine. A lot of the time when I’m using search, I’m simply looking for a fast answer to a question, so this change can genuinely save me time. But the danger of personalization replacing exploration is that we lose some of the magic of Google Search leading us toward unexpected websites, products or ideas that turn out to be genuinely useful.

Before we raid Google towers carrying pitchforks and torches, it’s worth remembering that Personal Intelligence is an opt-in feature designed to make AI feel more useful and personalized to you. If you’re worried about it reducing the chance of serendipity in your search results, you can turn it off.

Personal Intelligence is off by default, but if you’ve enabled it and now want to disable it, open Gemini’s Settings (the gear icon at the bottom left), select Personal Intelligence, then click Connected Apps and toggle the services you want Gemini to access, such as Gmail.

It’s also important to note that this testing was carried out by external researchers, rather than Google publicly confirming exactly how AI Mode rankings and recommendations are generated.

Still, the findings raise an interesting question about the future of AI-powered search. If search engines become increasingly personalized around our habits, purchases, conversations and preferences, are they actually helping us explore the web, or just building increasingly convincing digital mirrors that reflect our existing tastes right back at us?

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Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, May 27 (game #1584)

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, May 26 (game #1583).

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 #1584) - 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 #1584) - 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 #1584) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #1584) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #1584) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• G

• R

• G

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1584) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1584, are…

• GAUZE
• REPAY
• GIANT
• STEEP

With an A and U in the wrong positions and knowing it ended in an E, I felt certain that I was looking for a word with the other two vowels second and third.

I could think of a few using letters I had already used (cause, pause, sauce), but ones from the letters I had left eluded me. It was therefore a bit annoying that when my brain did eventually get there, “mauve” was wrong. I got to GAUZE in the end, but it was all a bit too painful.

Daily Sequence today (game #1584) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1584, are…

• PRIVY
• FINCH
• PRANK
• CIVIL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1583, Tuesday, 26 May: MODAL, MELON, PSALM, DRAWN
• Quordle #1582, Monday, 25 May: SLIME, ARISE, EAGER, SHEIK
• Quordle #1581, Sunday, 24 May: RIGHT, STALE, FLUKE, LINEN
• Quordle #1580, Saturday, 23 May: JUICY, DREAM, IDYLL, BRAID
• Quordle #1579, Friday, 22 May: GAILY, HITCH, DRUNK, COUNT
• Quordle #1578, Thursday, 21 May: RANCH, OTTER, WREST, ILIAC
• Quordle #1577, Wednesday, 20 May: TEDDY, MINUS, TRULY, STARK
• Quordle #1576, Tuesday, 19 May: HIPPY, FORTE, HORSE, QUELL
• Quordle #1575, Monday, 18 May: CLANK, SWINE, STEAM, DRAPE
• Quordle #1574, Sunday, 17 May: WHINE, TENET, KNAVE, GREED
• Quordle #1573, Satuday, 16 May: DEMUR, THREE, SLEEP, CRUDE
• Quordle #1572, Friday, 15 May: EPOCH, SPIKY, FAINT, PENNE
• 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

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‘Social media should be treated like tobacco’: health experts say the internet is just as bad as smoking for under-16s as UK government edges closer to introducing ban

• A medical report compares the threats of social media to smoking
• Medical professionals are being encouraged to ask young patients about their screen time
• The UK government is weighing a blanket ban on social media use for under-16s, but some are called for a different approach

Health experts have likened the health risks of social media use by young people to the dangers of smoking, as the UK government moves closer to introducing a social media ban for under-16s.

The UK’s Academy of Medical Royal Colleges says in a report that social media use poses significant damage to children who are “continuously exposed to hateful, addictive and grossly distressing content”. The report, submitted as part of the government’s consultation process, also says social media use by young people now sits alongside smoking and wearing seatbelts “as a unifying force for the medical profession”.

The report also highlights the responsibility of medical professionals in protecting children, saying doctors should now be asking children about their screen time and social media use when they first assess them. Half of the 454 medical professionals surveyed by the academy said they treated a child with social media-linked mental ill health at least once a week.

The guidance would make it easier for doctors to quickly assess if a child’s social media use is excessive and unhealthy, encouraging medical professionals to record any long-term health issues that could arise in their younger patients. “The difference now is that the harm being done to children online is not hypothetical … It is immediate, it is documented, and it is happening at scale,” the report adds.

One of the leading supporters of government action, former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, also said social media should be treated in a similar way to tobacco. “It’s extremely addictive, bad for our health, and big tech is borrowing the big tobacco playbook to avoid regulation”, he added.

The government’s consultation period, which received contributions from more than 70,000 individuals and groups, ends today (May 26), with Technology Secretary Liz Kendall telling the BBC: “The question isn't whether we're going to act — we will.”

She said the government would respond to the consultation over the summer, with measures being introduced before the end of the year.

As part of the consultation process, a number of bereaved parents who believe social media contributed to the loss of their children will meet with Prime Minister Keir Starmer to share their experiences. Starmer was initially opposed to an outright ban for under-16s, but has since said he is “open-minded” about enacting stronger measures.

Weighing the pros and the cons

While many parents, family groups, and health professionals favor some form of government action, opinion is divided on what form it should take.

Some argue that imposing a blanket ban for under-16s could backfire and actually cause greater harm, as it could cause young people to seek out banned content on the dark web, or even leave them unequipped to navigate online content when they turn 16.

The chair of the Molly Rose Foundation, Ian Russell, said that instead of an outright ban, existing laws should be enforced for a more holistic approach. The organization was founded and named after Molly Rose, a teenager who lost her life in 2017 after being exposed to harmful content through social media.

Critics of a blanket ban have pointed to Australia, which introduced a wide-ranging crackdown on social media use by young people in December 2025, banning children under 16 from holding accounts on major social media platforms.

A recent study conducted by the Molly Rose Foundation revealed that 60% of under-16s were still using platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, even though these services were required to shut down the accounts of under-age users.

Since that study was published, the UK has been experimenting with restrictive features before it considers a wider ban. In March, the UK government kick-started a pilot scheme, where it tested screentime limits and curfews in 300 teenage homes to trial different kinds of bans.

To add to this, further restrictive measures are also being considered including auto-play functions and infinite scrolling being disabled to stop young users from being caught in endless webs of potentially harmful content.

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NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, May 26 (game #814)

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 25 (game #813).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… On the nature trail

NYT Strands today (game #814) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SLED
• DUMP
• CRADLE
• WAFT
• RAVE
• HEAVEN

NYT Strands today (game #814) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 13 letters

NYT Strands today (game #814) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 1st row

Last side: left, 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 #814) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #814, are…

• MOSS
• ACORN
• DAISY
• PUDDLE
• FEATHER
• PAWPRINT
• SPANGRAM: SCAVENGERHUNT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

It’s been a while since we’ve had a 13-letter spangram, but even though it took up a huge chunk of the board I completely failed to see SCAVENGERHUNT.

However, if you were looking for non-game words to get hints the letters containing what became the spangram contained plenty so I got “revenge”, “avenge”, “avenger”, “cave” and “hunt” long before I began searching properly — this is possibly why I took two hints to get me started.

MOSS and ACORN were a confusing opening, as at this stage I thought our trail could be limited to a woodland setting, but DAISY finally helped me realize this was a far more random search — although if it was like the scavenger hunts I went on as a kid you’d need to throw a Mars bar in there as well just to keep me interested.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, May 25, game #813)

• SERVICE
• SACRIFICE
• HONOR
• VIRTUE
• PROTECTION
• SPANGRAM: MEMORIALDAY

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.

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NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, May 25 (game #813)

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 24 (game #812).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Thank you

NYT Strands today (game #803) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SERVE
• MEMO
• TRIP
• TURN
• PROD
• RICE

NYT Strands today (game #803) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #803) - 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 #803) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #803, are…

• SERVICE
• SACRIFICE
• HONOR
• VIRTUE
• PROTECTION
• SPANGRAM: MEMORIALDAY

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

No surprise about today's theme, given the date, but I did need a hint to get me started — and even finding non-game words proved tricky. I found myself fixated on the word "office," which I was convinced was on the board but had entirely hallucinated.

Today's words define the core principles of MEMORIALDAY and represent the oath and actions of US military personnel who died while serving their country. It's a rare Strands theme that genuinely gives you pause.

Among the game words, PROTECTION was the only one that caused me real difficulty. The others felt almost self-selecting once the theme was clear, but PROTECTION took a while longer to materialize on the board.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, May 24, game #812)

• COIL
• SPINDLE
• REEL
• SPOOL
• BOBBIN
• WINCH
• SCROLL
• SPANGRAM: TRYTOUNWIND

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.

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NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, May 24 (game #812)

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 23 (game #811).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Turn, turn, turn

NYT Strands today (game #812) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• COBB
• SOIL
• WIND
• TOWN
• CHEERY
• SLEW
• WHEEL
• SLOB
• PITY

NYT Strands today (game #812) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #812) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 6th row

Last side: bottom, 5th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #812) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #812, are…

• COIL
• SPINDLE
• REEL
• SPOOL
• BOBBIN
• WINCH
• SCROLL
• SPANGRAM: TRYTOUNWIND

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

I found this game terrifically taxing and time consuming, despite there being little in the way of challenging words.

Part of my issue was that I was finding so many non-game words that ended up being part of the game words — inch, wind, roll — to which I was seemingly blind.

Perhaps I began this game in too tense of a state, and like today’s spangram I need to TRYTOUNWIND.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, May 23, game #811)

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

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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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