News
- New Wyoming facility could consume twice as much electricity as the entire state currently produces annually
- Data center developers will build custom natural gas and renewable plants to feed massive energy needs
- Crusoe refused to confirm any involvement of OpenAI despite growing speculation and prior partnerships
Plans for a new AI data center in Cheyenne, Wyoming, have raised serious questions about energy use and infrastructure demands.
The proposed facility, a collaboration between energy company Tallgrass and data center developer Crusoe, is expected to start at 1.8 gigawatts and could scale to an immense 10 gigawatts.
For context, this is over five times more electricity than what all households in Wyoming currently use.
A dedicated power supply for a silent tenantGiven the extraordinary energy demands, drawing power from the public grid is not an option - instead, the developers intend to power the site using a combination of natural gas and renewables, built specifically for the facility.
However, the mystery around the project continues to deepen because the future occupant of the data center has not been named.
Speculation has focused on OpenAI, as the AI giant recently partnered with Crusoe on a separate facility in Texas, described as the “largest data center” in the world.
That project reportedly draws about a gigawatt of energy and is seen as part of OpenAI’s broader “Stargate” initiative.
OpenAI has made commitments to develop several gigawatts of data center capacity, though the company has not publicly confirmed any presence in Wyoming.
When asked, Crusoe declined to confirm or deny whether this new site is tied to Stargate, fueling further uncertainty.
At the core of such AI-focused data centers lies the demand for extremely high-performance hardware.
Industry experts expect it to house the fastest CPUs available, possibly in dense, rack-mounted workstation configurations optimized for deep learning and model training.
These systems are power-hungry by design, with each server node capable of handling massive workloads that demand sustained cooling and uninterrupted energy.
Wyoming state officials have embraced the project as a boost to local industries, particularly natural gas; however, some experts warn of broader implications.
Even with a self-sufficient power model, a data center of this scale alters regional power dynamics.
There are concerns that residents of Wyoming and its environs could face higher utility costs, particularly if local supply chains or pricing models are indirectly affected.
Also, Wyoming’s identity as a major energy exporter could be tested if more such facilities emerge.
Via Arstechnica
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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, August 9 (game #524).
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 #525) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… A rip-roaring good time
NYT Strands today (game #525) - hint #2 - clue wordsPlay any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- TOWER
- WIRE
- TRAIL
- SALE
- RUST
- GAIN
• Spangram has 7 letters
NYT Strands today (game #525) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: left, 5th 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 #525) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Strands, game #525, are…
- LUAU
- BLOWOUT
- SHINDIG
- HOEDOWN
- JAMBOREE
- WINGDING
- SPANGRAM: PARTIES
- My rating: Hard
- My score: 1 hint
A tricky game today, thanks to some unusual words and interesting twists.
I took a hint to get started, after finding half a dozen non-game words without hitting anything that might relate to a “rip-roaring good time”.
The hint gave me LUAU, which is a good thing as this would have been the last thing I would have spotted amongst these old fashioned descriptions of a knees up.
I think it speaks of our appetite for pleasure that there are so many different words for PARTIES – I’d never heard of WINGDING before, but I’m certain some killer punch and a game that will involve everyone hiding in a cupboard will be involved.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, August 9, game #524)- CORKSCREW
- SPATULA
- MIXER
- ZESTER
- SIEVE
- WHISK
- SPANGRAM: KITCHEN TOOL
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.
A new NYT Connections 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 Connections hints and answers for Saturday, August 9 (game #790).
Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.
What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #791) - today's words(Image credit: New York Times)Today's NYT Connections words are…
- PULP
- BIOPIC
- FAN
- CALCIUM
- PULL
- CONCENTRATE
- SCIENCE
- GROUP
- HISTORICAL
- JUICE
- COLLECT
- CHEMISE
- SWAY
- TRIGLYCERIDE
- WEIGHT
- CLUSTER
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Clout
- GREEN: Gather
- BLUE: Reading matter
- PURPLE: Words begin with school abbreviations
Need more clues?
We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #791) - hint #2 - group answersWhat are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: INFLUENCE
- GREEN: AMASS
- BLUE: KINDS OF FICTION
- PURPLE: STARTING WITH MATH AND SCIENCE CLASSES, FOR SHORT
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #791) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Connections, game #791, are…
- YELLOW: INFLUENCE JUICE, PULL, SWAY, WEIGHT
- GREEN: AMASS CLUSTER, COLLECT, CONCENTRATE, GROUP
- BLUE: KINDS OF FICTION FAN, HISTORICAL, PULP, SCIENCE
- PURPLE: STARTING WITH MATH AND SCIENCE CLASSES, FOR SHORT BIOPIC, CALCIUM, CHEMISE, TRIGLYCERIDE
- My rating: Hard
- My score: 2 mistakes
While it was very tempting to find a group that could contain PULP, CONCENTRATE, and JUICE I couldn’t find a fourth word, so resisted the temptation of throwing in a random word. This is my most common type of Connections error, so I’m pleased I checked myself.
This did, however, leave me in a situation where I couldn’t see a single group – another common Connections feeling these days.
Thankfully, I remembered another meaning for JUICE and put together the INFLUENCE group.
Somehow, I managed to get the green group after seeing the link between SCIENCE and PULP – but this is where the good times ended.
I thought that TRIGLYCERIDE and CHEMISE belonged together, but after two attempts at trying to fluke my way to the finish line I switched tracks and saw the far more obvious green group. Phew!
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, August 9, game #790)- YELLOW: RESULT FRUIT, PRODUCT, RETURN, YIELD
- GREEN: KINDS OF JOKES DAD, INSIDE, KNOCK-KNOCK, PRACTICAL
- BLUE: MOVIES FEATURING SUPERNATURAL ROMANCE CASPER, GHOST, LET ME IN, TWILIGHT
- PURPLE: CORN-Y THINGS MAZE, MUFFIN, SILK, SYRUP
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
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, August 9 (game #1293).
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 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 #1294) - hint #1 - VowelsHow 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 #1294) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.
Quordle today (game #1294) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo 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 #1294) - 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 #1294) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• S
• P
• T
• S
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #1294) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle, game #1294, are…
- SCRUM
- PIPER
- TROLL
- SPORE
Sometimes it pays not to overthink things when playing Quordle.
For my last word I had a choice between wiper and my hunch of PIPER. There was no real logic, just a feeling – and I guessed right.
Then again, I had the luxury of knowing that even if it had been wrong I still would have had enough moves left to complete the puzzle, which is always a nice feeling.
Daily Sequence today (game #1294) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1294, are…
- EDICT
- GRANT
- BIRCH
- COLOR
- Quordle #1293, Saturday, 9 August: NOOSE, INLET, ELEGY, VIRUS
- Quordle #1292, Friday, 8 August: KNEEL, KINKY, RALPH, BOOZY
- Quordle #1291, Thursday, 7 August: PLUNK, PROXY, CURVY, PEARL
- Quordle #1290, Wednesday, 6 August: RISKY, APART, FAUNA, HANDY
- Quordle #1289, Tuesday, 5 August: ROAST, SLICK, AUDIT, BILLY
- Quordle #1288, Monday, 4 August: MACAW, SINCE, COLON, CHIRP
- Quordle #1287, Sunday, 3 August: MOTIF, LEERY, LOFTY, BURST
- Quordle #1286, Saturday, 2 August: WARTY, PUPAL, CLEAR, SLICE
- Quordle #1285, Friday, 1 August: ACTOR, MEALY, WIDTH, ADOBE
- Quordle #1284, Thursday, 31 July: STYLE, VALET, AGONY, ALLOY
- Quordle #1283, Wednesday, 30 July: DEBAR, ADMIN, FOLIO, USAGE
- Quordle #1282, Tuesday, 29 July: BATCH, TOPIC, MURKY, BUNCH
- Quordle #1281, Monday, 28 July: CANDY, TRYST, SHIRT, FORGO
- Quordle #1280, Sunday, 27 July: TRAWL, BALER, PIANO, MINCE
- Quordle #1279, Saturday, 26 July: MUDDY, SAINT, KINKY, POLAR
- Quordle #1278, Friday, 25 July: BONUS, RESIN, CEDAR, MADAM
- Quordle #1277, Thursday, 24 July: AGONY, VERVE, GLEAN, MINUS
- Quordle #1276, Wednesday, 23 July: OZONE, PENCE, ROOMY, WIDER
- Quordle #1275, Tuesday, 22 July: OPTIC, GIDDY, VOCAL, ADULT
Big news from TechRadar's best robot vacuum ranking: there's a new top bot in town – the Roborock Qrevo Curv. We absolutely loved this model when we tested it for our Roborock Qrevo Curv review, but at that point it was just a little too pricey to go in the #1 spot.
Now, prices have tumbled, value for money has risen, and I've decided it's time to shift it into pole position. It's not even that old – it came out in October 2024. It's just that Roborock is releasing new bots at such a rate that anything that's not a 2025 launch is ripe for discount.
At list price, the Curv costs $1,599.99 / £1,299.99, but recently I've seen it drop as low as $899.99 / £850. It's still not cheap (and I'll include some great alternatives below for those on a tighter budget) but if you can afford it it's well worth the investment. This is a seriously good robot vacuum.
Roborock is probably my favorite robovac brand. Its bots consistently deliver high build quality, strong cleaning performance and reliable navigation. The experienced reviewer who tested the Curv (alongside many other robovacs) calls it his "go-to brand for reliable, fuss-free vacuuming with smarts galore".
(Image credit: Future)Roborock is also known for blazing a trail when it comes to innovation in this market, and the Curv is powered by very nearly the newest tech. It recognizes the tall thresholds in your home and figures out the best way to climb over each one, the onboard camera can be used to make two-way voice calls for security or pet-reassurance purposes, and there's automatic suction adjustment for different floor types.
(Image credit: Future)It nails the basics, too: mapping is speedy and accurate, navigation and obstacle avoidance reliable, there's a very powerful 18,500Pa of suction, dual spinning mop pads (one of which can kick out to the side to get up close to the edges of rooms), and an extending side brush for sweeping into corners.
On test it aced every cleaning task we put to it, and it proved itself to be not just a capable cleaner, but a low-effort, easy to use one too.
The curvy dock will take care of a whole list of maintenance tasks for you. It will charge the bot and empty its dustbin, but also refill its water tanks and wash and dry its mop pads so they don't get stinky. And it looks pretty cool too, in a kind of space-age way.
My favorite alternativesNot sure the Qrevo Curv is right for you? Let's take a look at the best alternatives, starting with more affordable options and then – just for fun – looking at what you can get if you blow the budget entirely.
If you have less to spend, the Dreame L40 Ultra and Eufy X10 Pro Omni are both excellent all-rounders, and depending on deals can be in the region of $200 / £200 less than the Curv. Or in the budget bracket, I loved both the Roborock Q7 M5 and Dreame D9 Gen 2, but be aware that you'll need to get a little more hands-on than you would with a pricier option.
If money is no object, there are even more functions available if you stump up for one of the very newest models. My new top premium robot vacuum is the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, which has little feet that enable it to scale even taller thresholds than the Qrevo Curv can manage. The LiDAR tower can retract into the body of the robot too, enabling it to clean in particularly low-height spaces.
The crowning option in the Roborock lineup is the Roborock Saros Z70, which has a big robotic arm that'll clear away your socks for you. Slightly less flashy 2025 additions to the range are the Saros 10, which has a retractable LiDAR puck similar to the X50 Ultra's, and Saros 10R, which doesn't have a raised puck at all but instead uses a different approach to navigation.
However, if you're looking for powerful cleaning and reliable all-round performance with no unnecessary bells and whistles, the Robrock Qrevo Curv is first on my recommendations list.
You might also like...- Modos uses open hardware to fix everything wrong with sluggish commercial e-paper displays
- E-paper finally reaches 75Hz refresh rates, enough to handle modern productivity tasks
- USB Type-C and HDMI connectivity offer simple setup across Windows, macOS, and Linux
E-paper has is recent years often been relegated to niche applications, largely due to its sluggish refresh rates and limited interactivity.
However, Modos Tech is attempting to upend this perception with a new set of developer kits featuring e-paper displays capable of reaching 75Hz refresh rates, which are now crowdfunding.
Though this figure might not turn heads in the consumer monitor space, this productivity tool introduces a different kind of performance that caters to focused, distraction-free work.
A different approach to responsive e-paperModos attributes its performance improvements to an open-hardware design built around the Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA.
This controller, combined with a DDR3 framebuffer and STM32H750 microcontroller, eliminates the proprietary bottlenecks typical in commercial e-paper displays.
The company suggests traditional systems are constrained by outdated hardware decisions that limit response time and usability, as it claims its open design lifts those barriers and introduces real-time responsiveness to what has historically been a static technology.
“From writers and engineers to accessibility advocates and digital minimalists, people are tired of the distraction, eye strain, and fatigue of mainstream displays,” said Alexander Soto, CEO of Modos Tech.
“E-paper offers a better path, and we’ve built tools that make it fast, flexible, and accessible to all.”
With support for multiple grayscale levels and a hybrid rendering mode, the screens attempt to offer flexibility without relying on full color.
While the architecture supports color displays, none are being offered at this stage - instead, the current implementation is aimed at users who prioritize simplicity and legibility over visual richness.
The kits include USB Type-C and HDMI ports, making them compatible with major desktop platforms including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Its USB Type-C can handle both data and power, but those opting to connect via HDMI will need an additional power source for operation.
This device is available in 6-inch and 13.3-inch which are selling for $199 and $599 respectively.
But make no mistake about this device, it will not replace business tablets or traditional business laptops.
Nevertheless, for users with specific visual or cognitive requirements, they offer an alternative that minimizes eye fatigue and digital noise.
As always with crowdfunded hardware, the pitch comes with caveats.
Modos is working through Crowd Supply, a platform with a decent track record for delivery; the usual warnings apply.
However, delays, supply issues, and unforeseen design revisions remain real possibilities.
Modos’ e-paper kits are still in pre-order status, with expected delivery in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Via Toms Hardware
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