Saturday, 23 December 2023

Quordle today - hints and answers for Sunday, December 24 (game #699)

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

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

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

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

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #699 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #699) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #699) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #699) - hint #3 - repeated letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #699) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #699) - hint #5 - uncommon letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #699) - hint #6 - starting letters (1)

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #699) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• F

• S

• S

• W

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

Quordle today (game #699) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 699 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #699, are…

  • FURRY
  • SKATE
  • SHARE
  • WEEDY

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


Daily Sequence today (game #699) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 699 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #699, are…

  • PRUNE
  • DIGIT
  • DROSS
  • AMONG

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #698, Saturday 23 December: EXULT, WHEAT, SCENE, CRESS
  • Quordle #697, Friday 22 December: FRUIT, SWEET, MEATY, EMBER
  • Quordle #696, Thursday 21 December: TENSE, SCALP, QUASI, PRAWN
  • Quordle #695, Wednesday 20 December: HUMPH, SOWER, WAGON, EDICT
  • Quordle #694, Tuesday 19 December: CHINA, TRUNK, SUAVE, DETER
  • Quordle #693, Monday 18 December: FLUNK, TRAIN, SKATE, SPRIG
  • Quordle #692, Sunday 17 December: SOLAR, GENIE, ENNUI, PLACE
  • Quordle #691, Saturday 16 December: EXULT, POSSE, FRANK, SPIKY
  • Quordle #690, Friday 15 December: FELON, GHOST, SASSY, CLEAR
  • Quordle #689, Thursday 14 December: FEWER, RERUN, SPEAK, CREEP
  • Quordle #688, Wednesday 13 December: MELEE, GOLLY, HEIST, PLACE
  • Quordle #687, Tuesday 12 December: SCRAP, ETHOS, CONDO, SNORT
  • Quordle #686, Monday 11 December: BASAL, BARON, HASTE, MANIA
  • Quordle #685, Sunday 10 December: GODLY, THUMP, PLANK, CIVIC
  • Quordle #684, Saturday 9 December: POKER, WHACK, HOBBY, BAGEL
  • Quordle #683, Friday 8 December: THEFT, SAINT, MUSHY, TALON
  • Quordle #682, Thursday 7 December: SNAKY, SPOON, SUITE, SPELT
  • Quordle #681, Wednesday 6 December: SCOFF, TONIC, WAVER, FIZZY
  • Quordle #680, Tuesday 5 December: PRANK, SHUSH, CUTIE, SHELL
  • Quordle #679, Monday 4 December: STOMP, KNEED, NANNY, BUDDY

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

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

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

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

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

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

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

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

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

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

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

5. Answers are never plural.

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

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

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

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

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

What is a good Quordle strategy?

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

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

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

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

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

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

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

2. Narrow things down

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

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

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

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Santa tracker 2023 live: how to follow Santa with Google or Norad

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and we're getting into the festive spirit here at TechRadar! While it's still fairly early for Santa to make moves, we've got a direct line to his workshop and are here to bring you the latest festive updates as we approach the holiday. 

St Nick will be departing on his trip around the globe in just a few weeks, starting at the International Date Line on December 24 and moving through the South Pacific, then across to New Zealand and Australia, followed by Asia, Africa, Europe, North Amerca and lastly Central and South America. We'll be tracking all of his movements around the globe live using the two most popular trackers, NORAD and Google, we’ll be bringing you live updates as St Nick makes his way around the globe.

In keeping with the 'AI everywhere' theme of 2023, we've also asked Midjourney to create some images of the big man himself as he travels around the world celebrating various regional traditions. They're only slightly cursed. 

Fun fact: Santa tracking as a tradition is almost 70 years old, but it all started as a happy accident in Christmas 1955. Legend has it a Sears catalog accidentally printed the Colorado Springs' Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Center’s phone number instead of a Santa hotline in Christmas 1955 and began to receive calls from children hoping to speak to Klaus himself.

The tradition of watching where Santa crosses the globe began in 1955 when, legend has it, a child mistakenly called Colorado Springs' Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Center after a misprint in a Sears catalog for a number to call to speak to Santa.

The American military realized this was a PR dream, and began putting out press releases on the whereabouts of Santa each year, with comical stories added in too, with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) taking over. In the early 1980s, a hotline was added to let people call to find out where he is.

Fast forward to today and there are a number of ways to find out what's happening to Santa - with Google's Santa Tracker joining the party in 2004 - and these two are the key ones to look out for in our expert opinion.

Santa Tracker: Norad vs Google

You've got two main choices when it comes to tracking Santa - both offer different ways of following along, but it depends on the experience you're looking for.

Norad Santa Tracker

Norad Santa tracker

(Image credit: Future)

The original way of following Santa and, some would say, the best. This website, run by the US military, fuses gruff colonels presenting a video about Santa Claus with live, up-to-the-minute info on where the man in the big red suit is.

You can download the app on the App Store or Google Play Store, and from there you'll be presented with a number of mini games to play as well as being able to follow the progress of the present giving live.

It's a far more rudimentary experience than other trackers out there, lacking a lot of polish and website design.

However, it's also the most popular and has a heartwarming history behind it - as well as an army of volunteers ready to take your call to find out where Santa is.

NORAD has also added in an AI chatbot called Radar to help you spot Santa too, but if you can be bothered, then dialling +1 (877) HI-NORAD will do the trick too.

Google Santa Tracker

How to play the Santa games on mobile

SAnta tracker

(Image credit: Google)

Every year, when we publish this guide, we have people wondering how to play the games on mobile as the big 'PLAY!' button in the middle of the screen sometimes fails and will only ever give you random games or video anyway. Well, just go to the Santa Tracker site on a mobile browser, click the three lines in the top left-hand corner and see all the games to play. (Note - the 'install' option, which tells you to 'Add to Home Screen', doesn't work on iPhones).

A more recent addition to the Santa tracking mix, Google's Santa Tracker has been going since 2004, combining the power of Google Maps with the savvy knowledge of where Father Christmas is.

While Google doesn't have the same satellite tracking power as NORAD, one has to assume the search giant has struck a deal with the North Pole to figure out where he is in real-time using search and radar and lasers and... stuff. Don't ask us to interpret the magic.

Backing up the Santa Tracker is a whole host of minigames to play, as well as a month-long website encouraging children to learn to code while they encounter a winter wonderland.

There are some pro-Google tools moments in this Santa Tracker - the Quick Draw game is designed to teach Google's image recognition Tensor to improve, which feels a bit odd - but it's a wonderfully designed site and arguably the most visually accessible way to follow Santa.

You can download the app from the Google Play Store, but in our eyes the mobile site is just as good and accessible for iPhone users, plus Google's Santa Tracker has the best and easiest-to-use desktop experience, too.

Welcome, everyone, to this year’s Santa Tracker! There's still some time before Santa takes off, so if you haven't set up Santa's special thank-you gift yet, now's the perfect time. Here in the UK, we leave carrots for Santa's reindeer, and the man himself receives a mince pie and sometimes even some kind of alcoholic tipple like sherry or brandy (or Guinness, in some Irish households!).

Down under in Australia, Santa gets a nice cold beer to help him beat the heat, whereas Danish families leave out a bowl of rice pudding with cinnamon called Risengrod for the elves. In the US, Santa gets milk and cookies, and Argentina sees the reindeer rejuvenated with hay and water.

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Friday, 22 December 2023

Quordle today - hints and answers for Saturday, December 23 (game #698)

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

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

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

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

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #698 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #698) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #698) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #698) - hint #3 - repeated letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #698) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #698) - hint #5 - uncommon letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #698) - hint #6 - starting letters (1)

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #698) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• E

• W

• S

• C

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

Quordle today (game #698) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 698 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #698, are…

  • EXULT
  • WHEAT
  • SCENE
  • CRESS

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


Daily Sequence today (game #698) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 698 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #698, are…

  • ROWER
  • ALTAR
  • EMBED
  • SOLVE

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #697, Friday 22 December: FRUIT, SWEET, MEATY, EMBER
  • Quordle #696, Thursday 21 December: TENSE, SCALP, QUASI, PRAWN
  • Quordle #695, Wednesday 20 December: HUMPH, SOWER, WAGON, EDICT
  • Quordle #694, Tuesday 19 December: CHINA, TRUNK, SUAVE, DETER
  • Quordle #693, Monday 18 December: FLUNK, TRAIN, SKATE, SPRIG
  • Quordle #692, Sunday 17 December: SOLAR, GENIE, ENNUI, PLACE
  • Quordle #691, Saturday 16 December: EXULT, POSSE, FRANK, SPIKY
  • Quordle #690, Friday 15 December: FELON, GHOST, SASSY, CLEAR
  • Quordle #689, Thursday 14 December: FEWER, RERUN, SPEAK, CREEP
  • Quordle #688, Wednesday 13 December: MELEE, GOLLY, HEIST, PLACE
  • Quordle #687, Tuesday 12 December: SCRAP, ETHOS, CONDO, SNORT
  • Quordle #686, Monday 11 December: BASAL, BARON, HASTE, MANIA
  • Quordle #685, Sunday 10 December: GODLY, THUMP, PLANK, CIVIC
  • Quordle #684, Saturday 9 December: POKER, WHACK, HOBBY, BAGEL
  • Quordle #683, Friday 8 December: THEFT, SAINT, MUSHY, TALON
  • Quordle #682, Thursday 7 December: SNAKY, SPOON, SUITE, SPELT
  • Quordle #681, Wednesday 6 December: SCOFF, TONIC, WAVER, FIZZY
  • Quordle #680, Tuesday 5 December: PRANK, SHUSH, CUTIE, SHELL
  • Quordle #679, Monday 4 December: STOMP, KNEED, NANNY, BUDDY
  • Quordle #678, Sunday 3 December: STICK, TWICE, WHOOP, WAIVE

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

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

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

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

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

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

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

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

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

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

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

5. Answers are never plural.

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

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

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

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

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

What is a good Quordle strategy?

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

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

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

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

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

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

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

2. Narrow things down

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

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

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

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Google Chrome update means you’re safer online, and brings in a nifty feature to organize your tabs

Google’s Chrome browser is getting some smart new features including measures to keep you safer when online.

Chrome’s December update changes things so that the existing Safety Check feature runs automatically in the background, popping up alerts in certain scenarios. That includes when Google detects that any of the passwords you’ve saved in Chrome have been compromised.

You’ll also be warned if any extensions installed are potentially malicious, and about any site permissions which are needing to be okayed. The feature will also revoke site permissions like access to the microphone or camera if you haven’t visited a website in a long time.

Similarly, sites you don’t use much that are sending a lot of notifications will be flagged up to allow you to disable those notifications if you prefer. Finally, Safety Check will also inform you if you need to update Chrome.

Safety Check alerts will be flagged up in the three-dot menu at the top-right of Chrome (used to summon the browser’s main menu).

The new Chrome update also introduces Tab groups, which are just as you’d imagine – collections of tabs you can save in a group, to fire back up together when needed. This functionality may not be present for you yet, but it’s rolling out to Google’s browser over the next few weeks.

Google also reminds us that its web browser now shows the memory usage of any tab when you hover over that tab with the mouse cursor, a handy little addition for finding out if any particular tab is being a resource hog. (Although that’s somewhat less of a problem now Chrome can be set to sleep tabs that aren’t currently active).

Chrome Tab Groups

(Image credit: Google)

Analysis: Safety first (and second)

Previously, Safety Check was a feature that you had to run manually by delving into Chrome’s Settings, and having the check run itself periodically is a useful move in terms of shoring up the security of the browser. It’s also good that this incorporates tidying up bits and pieces like revoking permissions for sites you’ve not visited for ages – if you no longer use a website, why have these more intrusive (camera, mic, etc) permissions in place, after all?

Alerts for compromised passwords will always be a useful security feature, too, for those who save their passwords directly to the browser.

Proactive prompts to update Chrome when a new version is available are also good to see. Some nasty security holes can pop up in Google’s browser – or any software, to be fair – and getting them patched pronto is always a good idea. Indeed, we saw a worrying vulnerability in Chrome just yesterday, so it’s worth checking your browser is updated right now.

Google finishes its blog post about these latest Chrome changes by noting that features are inbound for the browser which will use its next-gen Gemini AI model, so those should be interesting additions. Those capabilities are arriving early next year, apparently.

Via Ghacks

You might also like

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Thursday, 21 December 2023

Quordle today - hints and answers for Friday, December 22 (game #697)

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

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

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

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

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #697 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #697) - 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 #697) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #697) - hint #3 - repeated letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #697) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #697) - hint #5 - uncommon letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #697) - hint #6 - starting letters (1)

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #697) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• F

• S

• M

• E

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

Quordle today (game #697) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 697 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #697, are…

  • FRUIT
  • SWEET
  • MEATY
  • EMBER

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


Daily Sequence today (game #697) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 697 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #697, are…

  • GREET
  • MADAM
  • CIVIC
  • FLOUR

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #696, Thursday 21 December: TENSE, SCALP, QUASI, PRAWN
  • Quordle #695, Wednesday 20 December: HUMPH, SOWER, WAGON, EDICT
  • Quordle #694, Tuesday 19 December: CHINA, TRUNK, SUAVE, DETER
  • Quordle #693, Monday 18 December: FLUNK, TRAIN, SKATE, SPRIG
  • Quordle #692, Sunday 17 December: SOLAR, GENIE, ENNUI, PLACE
  • Quordle #691, Saturday 16 December: EXULT, POSSE, FRANK, SPIKY
  • Quordle #690, Friday 15 December: FELON, GHOST, SASSY, CLEAR
  • Quordle #689, Thursday 14 December: FEWER, RERUN, SPEAK, CREEP
  • Quordle #688, Wednesday 13 December: MELEE, GOLLY, HEIST, PLACE
  • Quordle #687, Tuesday 12 December: SCRAP, ETHOS, CONDO, SNORT
  • Quordle #686, Monday 11 December: BASAL, BARON, HASTE, MANIA
  • Quordle #685, Sunday 10 December: GODLY, THUMP, PLANK, CIVIC
  • Quordle #684, Saturday 9 December: POKER, WHACK, HOBBY, BAGEL
  • Quordle #683, Friday 8 December: THEFT, SAINT, MUSHY, TALON
  • Quordle #682, Thursday 7 December: SNAKY, SPOON, SUITE, SPELT
  • Quordle #681, Wednesday 6 December: SCOFF, TONIC, WAVER, FIZZY
  • Quordle #680, Tuesday 5 December: PRANK, SHUSH, CUTIE, SHELL
  • Quordle #679, Monday 4 December: STOMP, KNEED, NANNY, BUDDY
  • Quordle #678, Sunday 3 December: STICK, TWICE, WHOOP, WAIVE
  • Quordle #677, Saturday 2 December: DEPOT, MODAL, PANIC, GRUFF

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

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

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

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

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

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

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

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

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

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

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

5. Answers are never plural.

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

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

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

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

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

What is a good Quordle strategy?

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

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

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

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

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

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

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

2. Narrow things down

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

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

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

https://ift.tt/DmtSxuG

Don’t fall prey to this worrying Google Chrome exploit – update your browser now

Google Chrome has a vulnerability of the most dangerous kind, so you’ll want to check that your browser is updated to the latest version which carries the fix.

The worst kind of vulnerability is one that’s known about, and Google has confirmed that this particular hole in Chrome has already been exploited. So not only is it known to malicious actors, but it’s also being actively leveraged against Chrome users, which is obviously bad news.

The problem in this case, as outlined by Google, is a heap buffer overflow in WebRTC. (As the name suggests, this is an issue where an attacker causes an area of memory to be written to so it overflows, opening up the avenue for exploitation).

This is known as vulnerability CVE-2023-7024, and Google acknowledges that an exploit for it exists out there.

Heap and stack overflows are some of the more common attack vectors around, and indeed this is far from the first heap overflow gremlin that has troubled Google’s web browser.

How to fix this security flaw

Fortunately, there’s no need to panic – all you have to do to protect yourself from this attack is open Chrome’s Settings page (from the three-dot menu, top-right of the browser). From there, look at the left-side panel, and click on ‘About Chrome’ at the bottom of the list.

Just opening this will automatically check for updates and apply an upgrade if it’s needed. To have protection against this exploit, on a Windows PC you should be on Chrome version 120.0.6099.130 (or alternatively 120.0.6099.129 – and that’s the version you’ll want to be running on Mac or Linux).

When we checked, we were still running version 120.0.6099.110, and our Chrome browser hadn’t updated itself yet. So, it’s well worth checking now, and getting this sorted before there’s any chance of your PC being compromised.

Don’t forget that after Chrome has updated itself, you’ll need to close the browser (all instances of it), and reopen it to apply the upgrade – then everything’s sorted and you’re good to go.

Via Ghacks

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Wednesday, 20 December 2023

Quordle today - hints and answers for Thursday, December 21 (game #696)

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

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

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

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

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #696 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #696) - 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 #696) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #696) - hint #3 - repeated letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #696) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 13.

Quordle today (game #696) - hint #5 - uncommon letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #696) - hint #6 - starting letters (1)

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #696) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• T

• S

• Q

• P

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

Quordle today (game #696) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 696 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #696, are…

  • TENSE
  • SCALP
  • QUASI
  • PRAWN

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


Daily Sequence today (game #696) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 696 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #696, are…

  • INTRO
  • HAUTE
  • SWUNG
  • FREAK

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #695, Wednesday 20 December: HUMPH, SOWER, WAGON, EDICT
  • Quordle #694, Tuesday 19 December: CHINA, TRUNK, SUAVE, DETER
  • Quordle #693, Monday 18 December: FLUNK, TRAIN, SKATE, SPRIG
  • Quordle #692, Sunday 17 December: SOLAR, GENIE, ENNUI, PLACE
  • Quordle #691, Saturday 16 December: EXULT, POSSE, FRANK, SPIKY
  • Quordle #690, Friday 15 December: FELON, GHOST, SASSY, CLEAR
  • Quordle #689, Thursday 14 December: FEWER, RERUN, SPEAK, CREEP
  • Quordle #688, Wednesday 13 December: MELEE, GOLLY, HEIST, PLACE
  • Quordle #687, Tuesday 12 December: SCRAP, ETHOS, CONDO, SNORT
  • Quordle #686, Monday 11 December: BASAL, BARON, HASTE, MANIA
  • Quordle #685, Sunday 10 December: GODLY, THUMP, PLANK, CIVIC
  • Quordle #684, Saturday 9 December: POKER, WHACK, HOBBY, BAGEL
  • Quordle #683, Friday 8 December: THEFT, SAINT, MUSHY, TALON
  • Quordle #682, Thursday 7 December: SNAKY, SPOON, SUITE, SPELT
  • Quordle #681, Wednesday 6 December: SCOFF, TONIC, WAVER, FIZZY
  • Quordle #680, Tuesday 5 December: PRANK, SHUSH, CUTIE, SHELL
  • Quordle #679, Monday 4 December: STOMP, KNEED, NANNY, BUDDY
  • Quordle #678, Sunday 3 December: STICK, TWICE, WHOOP, WAIVE
  • Quordle #677, Saturday 2 December: DEPOT, MODAL, PANIC, GRUFF
  • Quordle #676, Friday 1 December: NORTH, PUPPY, THINK, PLUCK

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

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

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

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

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

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

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

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

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

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

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

5. Answers are never plural.

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

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

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

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

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

What is a good Quordle strategy?

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

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

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

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

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

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

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

2. Narrow things down

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

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

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

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