News
- The Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler spin-off was first announced in December 2024
- It was rumored to be called Dutton Ranch, but Rip Wheeler actor Cole Hauser confirmed that wouldn’t be the title
- It will be set in the present day, and will explore the Dutton’s lives after the events in season 5
- Other actors from Yellowstone are likely to appear in it, including Finn Little, who plays Carter
- It will share “the most DNA with Yellowstone” than any of the (many!) other planned spin-offs
- The release date has been suggested for late 2025, but Paramount+ have yet to confirm this
The Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler spin-off series from the Yellowstone universe is officially underway and while it's still very early days, we do know some crucial details about what the new Paramount+ series might look like.
You should never underestimate the pull of a good Western: and the TV series Yellowstone has totally proved this. Launching without much fanfare on the Paramount Network back in June 2018 (HBO turned it down initially) the Kevin Costner-fronted show steadily drew in a bigger and bigger audience, as the series – which covered life in and around a ranch in Yellowstone, Montana – went out on a high in the final series five in 2024 with a viewership of more than 12 million people.
But the people, like the ranchers, wanted more. And spin-offs of the Dutton family were hastily assembled by creators Taylor Sheridan and John Linson. First were the prequels, 1883 and 1923, then the sequels and other Dutton-adjacent series (deep breath): The Madison (due out in 2025), Y: Marshalls, 1944, 6666 and, perhaps the most eagerly awaited of all the new series in the Yellowstone universe, a show that some have said will be called Dutton Ranch. But, hold fire! says Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler, as he told Fox News that: “First of all, it's not [called] Dutton Ranch. That's not the name of it.”
So, what do we know about the spin-off show that will see Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser reprising their roles as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler? Here’s everything you need to know about the neo-Western series so far, including cast members, potential plot and expected release date:
News first came out off a spin-off in December 2024 when Deadline reported: “Taylor Sheridan, the mastermind behind Yellowstone and its ever-expanding universe, is working on the creative for the new show, which will likely feature other cast members from the mothership series alongside Reilly and Hauser.”
Since then, the most recent word is, according to Bloomberg, that this particular show is being pegged for a Fall launch in 2025, which would make this a very quick turnaround. Paramount+ are yet to confirm a release date, but we’ll update this piece as soon as we find out.
No, there’s nothing as yet – we’ll let you know as soon as anything drops.
Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler Yellowstone spin-off: who is in the cast?Finn Little will be making a return to the bullring as Carter. (Image credit: Paramount+)Excitingly for the fans who weren’t ready for Yellowstone to finish after five seasons, Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser will be back in their legendary roles of Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, respectively. It’s been suggested by several publications that other key characters from Yellowstone could also make a return, but so far, the only person confirmed is Finn Little who plays Carter.
Carter arrived as a “troubled teen” in season four, who met Beth in hospital, when both their fathers were dying. After Carter’s dad dies of a drug addiction, Beth and Rip become Carter’s guardians, and he comes to live and work with them on their ranch. Beth is unable to have children and doesn’t see herself as maternal, yet she and Rip form a bond with Carter, and come to view him as family.
Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler Yellowstone spin-off: the potential plotThe series will pick up after the events of Yellowstone season 5 (Image credit: Paramount+)Well, it’s a series that will obviously have Beth and Rip at the heart of the action. At the end of season 5 of Yellowstone (spoilers ahead, if you’re not up to date yet) the Dutton Ranch is no more, after being sold to the Broken Rock Reservation, allowing the land to be preserved as a protected reservation.
Beth’s father, John Dutton III, was murdered by a contract killer (by a gunshot to the head) hired by Jamie Dutton and Sarah Atwood, but it was staged to look like suicide. In the season’s finale, Beth, who vowed revenge for her dad’s death, stabs Jamie.
According to Deadline, the spin-off is likely to pick up where season 5 ended. It will be “led by Yellowstone characters, played by the same actors in the same present-day time frame; the new offshoot shares the most DNA with the mothership of any shows in the Yellowstone universe to date.”
Hauser is remaining tight-lipped about the plot, also telling Fox News in May 2025: "We can expect the same that we've been doing for the last seven years. Kelly and I are going and working our [expletive] off trying to create something special.”
Meanwhile, he told The Hollywood Reporter in June 2025: “Kelly and I, we're focused on [Rip and Beth's] relationship and our love together, and what we're going to get [them] into. I'm excited just like everybody else. I can't wait to see what they come up with. Hopefully, we'll start seeing stuff soon.” We’d hope so too, if the series is to be released by the end of the year.
There will be two other offshoots soon joining the Beth and Rip series. The Madison (appearing on Paramount+), led by Michelle Pfeiffer as Stacy Clyburn, and Y: Marshals (on CBS) which will star Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton, and which will be released in early 2026.
Alongside this, there are two more series in the Yellowstone universe: 1944 (set during World War II and will explore the Dutton family's experiences during that era) and 6666 (about another ranch, Four Sixes, which also appears in Yellowstone and will be about the characters who live on it) which have been previously announced as “in development”.
- Tim Cook has been speaking at an all-hands meeting
- Cook promised Apple has a bright AI future
- There are some "amazing" products in the pipeline
The delays and issues around Apple Intelligence have been well documented, but Apple CEO Tim Cook says his company isn't giving up an AI – and in fact has said the AI market is "ours to grab" in a recent all-hands meeting.
As per the usually reliable Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, the hour-long meeting was held right after Apple's most recent earnings call, and both Tim Cook and senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi were apparently upbeat about Apple's AI future.
"Apple must do this," Cook apparently said on AI. "Apple will do this. This is sort of ours to grab." The CEO reportedly went on to say that while Apple hasn't always been first in product categories, it's usually able to catch up and surpass its rivals.
According to Gurman, Cook also encouraged Apple employees to use more AI in their day-to-day work, to avoid being "left behind" in the field. The CEO is predicting AI will be bigger than smartphones, apps, and the internet.
'A much bigger upgrade'Apple Intelligence has had its issues (Image credit: Apple)As for Federighi, he reportedly told staff that Apple was overcoming the initial challenges it had faced with adding Apple Intelligence on top of Siri. Rather than merging two systems, engineers are now working on building an entirely new architecture.
"The work we've done on this end-to-end revamp of Siri has given us the results we needed," said the exec. "This has put us in a position to not just deliver what we announced, but to deliver a much bigger upgrade than we envisioned."
Apple has clearly rushed its AI efforts in an attempt to catch up to the likes of OpenAI and Google – having to pull adverts promising features that have yet to materialize – but it would appear that Apple remains fully committed to the technology.
The all-hands meeting is said to have covered other topics including Apple TV+, AirPods, and the impact of regulations. Cook also mentioned that there's an "amazing" series of Apple products in the pipeline – which may include a folding iPhone.
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A top security experts has warned defence employees that listing their work on employment sites such as LinkedIn has created a ‘cumulative and comprehensive set of information, people and opportunities for foreign powers to target and exploit.’
Mike Burgees, the Director-General of Security of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), said it has seen nation states use, ‘even more sophisticated and difficult to detect methods’ in their attempts to unlawfully obtain sensitive information.
Whilst this may seem like common sense, ASIO has identified over 100 individuals using job sites such as LinkedIn to talk about projects they worked on, and some posting specifications and functionality on ‘open discussion forums’.
The true costThis has direct consequences for national security, and the mistakes add up. A report quoted by Burgees identifies an overall cost of over AU$12 billion dollars in just one year lost to espionage - highlighting its impact.
These are conservative estimates too, Burgees points out, and the, ‘most serious, significant and cascading costs of espionage are not included in the 12.5 billion dollar figure’.
That means that anything without a direct calculable financial impact, like potential loss of ‘ strategic advantage, sovereign decision-making and warfighting capacity’, all of which hold ‘immense value’ are not included in the calculation.
Of course, foreign adversaries have always targeted anyone who holds valuable information of almost all kinds, and have used much more unconventional methods in the past.
That being said, social media sites in which colleagues follow and interact with each other whilst openly talking about their current professional projects does provide spooks with a cheat-sheet of target information.
These can have serious consequences for governments and companies, Burgees warned, noted how, "ust last year, an Australian tech company went into voluntary administration after one of its investors made a series of decisions that made no commercial sense. These included selling the company’s intellectual property – which had commercial and military applications – to a foreign corporation, on terms highly unfavourable to the Australian company."
"ASIO is yet to confirm if a nation state or foreign intelligence service directed this activity, but we are aware of similar cases where sensitive information about a company’s vulnerabilities – such as its cyber security settings – were passed to hostile intelligence services by an insider."
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The Hallmark Channel and Hallmark+ are bringing Providence Falls to fans from August 2 in a three-part ‘event’ (think miniseries, only it’s three movies rather than episodes). The new three-part film series follows Cora (Katie Stevens), a new cop on the scene suddenly partnered with the rogue and spaced-out Liam (Lachlan Quarmby). The reason Liam’s not all there isn’t an obvious one, having been sent to Cora from their past lives in 1800s Ireland to make sure she falls in love with her fated romantic partner, Finn (Evan Roderick).
Essentially, we’ve got a period drama, police procedural and whodunnit murder mystery all happening at the same time, with one plot staying wrapped within another at all times. This will make much more sense as you watch it, and I promise the line between a satisfying payoff and having enough clues to crack without things being too confusing is an ideal balance. As these are Hallmark movies, after all, you can probably take a good guess at how the series ends.
But while the ending ties up some loose threads, does this really mean we’re leaving Providence Falls for good? I think it’s a world too rich to abandon, and when I put this to the cast, they already had their own ideas for a return.
Providence Falls could continue to exist in the wider Hallmark universe“I hope [Providence Falls returns], it's a fun universe,” star Roderick tells me. “I think there's an opportunity to bring back the angels of destiny, and have that be the rock of the show. I mean, that would be a really, really cool concept moving forward, if the fans love it.”
As far as I’m concerned, Roderick’s elevator pitch is a Hallmark goldmine. The Angels of Destiny storyline could be applied to absolutely any character we’ve met over the past few decades, and could even work in the context of continuing shows such as The Chicken Sisters, When Calls the Heart and The Way Home. Anybody who has a dodgy run-in or awkward storyline gets a chance for redemption, even if they have to die in order to do so.
Granted, the number of people who have died in Hallmark projects is slim to none, meaning fresh recruits like Liam might need to be drafted in for Providence Falls to continue. But if the angels and main cast aren’t coming back (their storylines have basically been wrapped up, after all), there’s still the town itself. Everything we love about shows like Virgin River and Sullivan’s Crossing is now sitting in Hallmark’s lap, and they’d be silly not to utilise that.
Does Providence Falls now have the legs to be a springboard for a bigger ongoing series? I’d say absolutely. Of course, the same storyline can’t be replicated, but if Hallmark wants to replicate the out-of-the-box success of The Way Home or find a rival for Virgin River, they best start listening to Roderick’s idea.
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- Lecoo Mini Pro includes Radeon 780M graphics and dual USB4 ports for GPU expansion
- AMD’s Ryzen 7 8745H powers the system with strong Zen 4 performance across eight cores
- Two 2.5G Ethernet jacks allow for flexible networking options rarely seen in mini PCs
Lenovo has quietly released a new Lecoo-branded mini PC in China called the Mini Pro, a system which combines relatively strong performance with a compact, low-power design.
Lecoo is not a widely known brand in Lenovo’s global portfolio, but it joins a long list of sub-brands the company manages, including Motorola Mobility, Lenovo NEC, Medion, and LOQ.
While most of these brands have defined market positions or regional focuses, Lecoo appears to be geared toward affordable consumer tech and accessories.
A compact system priced for budget-conscious usersPriced between $363 and $615 depending on configuration, the Lecoo Mini Pro enters the same market space as many affordable workstation alternatives.
This device is powered by AMD’s Ryzen 7 8745H processor, a chip that belongs to the Hawk Point family and is similar to the Ryzen 7 8745HS.
It includes the integrated Radeon 780M graphics, which means it can tackle low to mid-tier gaming workloads.
For heavier graphical use, the system’s two USB4 ports allow for external GPU connectivity, a feature becoming more common on newer business PC setups and one that extends its capabilities beyond typical office work.
Internally, the Lecoo Mini Pro supports up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM at 5600MHz and offers dual PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots for storage, pushing it close to workstation PC territory in terms of memory and drive expansion.
Despite the hardware capacity, the Lecoo Mini Pro remains a palm-sized and low-power device.
Even in its highest performance mode (70W), the thermal output is kept under control using dual fans and an aluminum chassis, and Lenovo says the noise level of this device is as low as 32 decibels in quiet mode.
Another strength of this device is connectivity, and it supports a mix of legacy and modern accessories - as it includes two USB4 ports, two 2.5G Ethernet jacks, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, and multiple USB-A ports while also supporting Wi-Fi 6 as its only wireless option.
Lenovo has confirmed the Lecoo Mini Pro will be available for global shipping, and the sales page accepts payment via PayPal.
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- Google Gemini security flaw could have let anyone access systems or run code
- The Pixel Buds Pro 2 may get a new shade
- It's the Moonstone color linked to the Pixel 10
- New gadgets are arriving on August 20
In the various Google Pixel 10 leaks we've come across recently, there's been a lot of a particular color involved: a grayey-bluey type of shade which is apparently called Moonstone. Now it seems the shade will be rolling out to Google's other gadgets too.
As spotted by 9to5Google, the existing Pixel Buds Pro 2 wireless earbuds are now listed as being available in Moonstone, if you switch to the 3D view – though it's possible the change may have been rolled back by the time you're reading this.
What's more, the light green known as Wintergreen looks to be going away, as Moonstone replaces it in the listing. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 were launched in August last year, so it's perfectly possible that they're getting a refresh after 12 months.
There's no doubt that Google is keen on this Moonstone color: so far we've only seen one official teaser for the Pixel 10 launch event on Wednesday, August 20, and it shows off what we think is the Pixel 10 Pro in the Moonstone shade.
What we've heard so farAn official snap of the Pixel 10 Pro... in Moonstone (Image credit: Google)Another leak has shown off everything we're expecting on August 20 in Moonstone: the Pixel 10, the Pixel Watch 4, and the Pixel Buds 2a. Other colors will of course be available, but it looks like this is going to be the primary one.
Aside from the colors, there have been plenty of leaks and rumors swirling around. The Pixel 10 series of phones – and there should be four of them again, like last year – are rumored to be introducing MagSafe-style wireless charging to Android for the first time.
As for the Google Pixel Watch 4, we've heard that it's going to get a rather interesting new charging system, and come in at the same sort of prices that we saw with the Pixel Watch 3 last year – with some Fitbit and YouTube promos bundled in for good measure.
We haven't heard quite as much about the Google Pixel Buds 2a, but the updated earbuds could bring with them a tweaked design if the rumors are true. We will of course bring you all the official announcements, as they happen.
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- Wacom MovinkPad 11 uses a matte screen that reduces glare and enhances pen control significantly
- Android’s lack of Photoshop and Illustrator support continues to limit mobile creative workflows overall
Wacom’s MovinkPad 11 is an unusual addition to the Android tablet space, not because of its processing power or app ecosystem, but due to one standout feature: support for the Wacom Pro Pen 3.
According to PCWatch, this device costs just under 70,000 yen (approximately $471), making it cheaper than many competing tablets, and includes the same pen technology trusted by professional artists.
Still, its appeal seems tailored to a very specific audience, and it’s worth asking whether its strengths truly outweigh its compromises.
A familiar pen, now in a standalone tabletThe MovinkPad 11 comes with the Wacom Pro Pen 3, which, unlike many battery-powered options, uses EMR (electromagnetic resonance) to achieve low-latency, battery-free performance.
It’s long been favored by digital artists working with pen displays like the Cintiq and Intuos Pro.
Now, with this Android tablet, Wacom appears to be targeting users who want to practice professional-level pen input without needing a full computer setup.
From a usability standpoint, the experience is generally fluid, particularly when using drawing apps like CLIP STUDIO PAINT DEBUT, which comes pre-installed.
However, the lack of Android versions of Adobe’s photo editing software remains a limitation for users who rely on tools like Photoshop or Illustrator.
This device features an 11.45-inch display with a resolution of 2200 x 1440, and it also uses a matte finish that resists glare and fingerprints.
This surface, combined with the Pro Pen 3’s fine pressure sensitivity, does offer a more natural feel than the glossy panels found on many mainstream tablets.
For illustration software, where pen glide and surface resistance matter, this hardware combination is a major advantage.
But as an Android tablet, the MovinkPad 11 is less impressive because it runs on a midrange MediaTek Helio G99 processor with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.
That’s sufficient for drawing and basic multitasking, but not exceptional.
Despite its salient selling points, Wacom’s software decisions raise valid questions.
The custom interface, Wacom UX, allows for quick access to a sketching app called Wacom Canvas, even when the device is locked.
This might appeal to beginners eager to sketch instantly, but the lack of biometric authentication and broader Android productivity features may feel restrictive.
Likewise, while it’s handy that third-party EMR pens also work with the device, the software ecosystem surrounding Android remains limited for serious graphic design software users.
The MovinkPad 11 feels more like it fills a niche and neither stands as a powerful Android tablet, nor is it aimed at established professionals.
Instead, it’s an accessible entry point for students and hobbyists hoping to develop their skills using the same tools found in professional environments.
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- AI chip repair firms in China are thriving due to heavy demand surge
- Smuggled GPUs fuel a booming underground repair market amid US export restrictions
- Chinese shops simulate data centers and fix hundreds of chips monthly at scale
A quiet but growing business has emerged in China that focuses on repairing Nvidia’s advanced AI chips, despite strict US export controls.
Reports from Reuters found around a dozen small firms, mainly based in Shenzhen, claiming they service large numbers of Nvidia’s H100 and A100 GPUs, even though these chips were officially banned from sale to China in 2022.
One company told the news agency it repairs up to 500 Nvidia AI chips every month - and with roughly 12 similar firms operating year-round, that could amount to tens of thousands of chips annually.
Significant demandMany of these units are worn down from heavy use, especially as some have run around the clock for years in AI training workloads.
“There is really significant repair demand,” Reuters was told by the co-owner of a Shenzhen firm that moved into AI hardware in late 2024.
That demand led to the creation of a second company purely to handle AI chip repair.
Their facility includes a server room that can simulate data center conditions with up to 256 servers.
Another shop that shifted from GPU rentals to repairs told Reuters it fixes around 200 chips per month, typically charging about 10% of the original purchase price.
Repairs can include fan replacement, circuit board fixes, memory diagnostics, and software testing.
Nvidia cannot legally support or replace restricted GPUs within China. An Nvidia spokesperson said only the company and approved partners are authorized to offer the necessary service and support, adding that running restricted chips without full infrastructure is not viable long-term.
The potentially high failure rate raises concerns about what will happen to tens of thousands of aging A100s and earlier GPUs once they fail.
The existence of such a repair sector is down to the widespread smuggling of banned chips into China, something we’ve reported on previously.
While Nvidia recently began offering the H20 GPU in China to comply with export restrictions, many customers there still prefer the banned H100 for training LLMs.
You might also likeA 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, August 3 (game #518).
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 #519) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Cutting it close
NYT Strands today (game #519) - hint #2 - clue wordsPlay any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- SLICE
- SPORT
- STRIP
- VEST
- PRICE
- FARE
• Spangram has 10 letters
NYT Strands today (game #519) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: top, 4th column
Last side: bottom, 4th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #519) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Strands, game #519, are…
- RAZOR
- CAPE
- CLIPPERS
- COMB
- TRIMMER
- AFTERSHAVE
- SPANGRAM: BARBERSHOP
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
The letter Z gave today’s search an obvious starting point, with RAZOR immediately eliminating any mystery about the theme. Unless, like me, you saw the non-game word “slice” first.
I only learned recently that the origins of the traditional BARBERSHOP pole stem from the days when barbers also performed surgeries alongside their regular activities – a one-stop shop where you could have a leg amputated, your teeth pulled and a quick trim – with the red symbolizing blood and the blue veins.
Thankfully, these days barbers have narrowed down their offerings to those that can be performed using SCISSORS, CLIPPERS and a TRIMMER. If you see a saw on the counter I'd suggest you make a swift exit.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, August 3, game #518)- MUFF
- WHIFF
- ERROR
- FAULT
- FUMBLE
- BOBBLE
- BLOOPER
- SPANGRAM: SPORTS GOOF
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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, August 3 (game #784).
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 #785) - today's words(Image credit: New York Times)Today's NYT Connections words are…
- APHID
- BEETLE
- CEDAR
- DECAY
- EASY
- EFFORT
- GEO
- TICK
- BEECH
- VENDETTA
- APPLE
- PINE
- MITE
- COOKIE
- YEW
- ZITI
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Tiny bugs
- GREEN: Barking up the correct ones
- BLUE: Spelling game
- PURPLE: Say aloud to see the link
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 #785) - hint #2 - group answersWhat are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: ARTHROPODS
- GREEN: TREES
- BLUE: [LETTER] (IS) FOR __
- PURPLE: WORDS THAT SOUNDS LIKE TWO LETTERS
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #785) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Connections, game #785, are…
- YELLOW: ARTHROPODS APHID, BEETLE, MITE, TICK
- GREEN: TREES BEECH, CEDAR, PINE, YEW
- BLUE: [LETTER] (IS) FOR __ APPLE, COOKIE, EFFORT, VENDETTA
- PURPLE: WORDS THAT SOUNDS LIKE TWO LETTERS DECAY, EASY, GEO, ZITI
- My rating: Hard
- My score: 3 mistakes
Every day Connections finds a new way to either teach me or confuse me. Today it was… both.
I knew that A is for EFFORT and for APPLE, while V is for VENDETTA. But what is COOKIE doing in the [LETTER] (IS) FOR __ group? And what's with the square bracket rounded bracket? Is this an equation?
Realizing that I must be suffering from some terrible pop culture gap, a post-game Google revealed that the answer was related to the Cookie Monster from Sesame Street. I should have known.
I made two mistakes trying to get that group together. The other came earlier in the game, when I put APPLE in with the other TREES. A for annoying.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, August 3, game #784)- YELLOW: EMULATE COPY, ECHO, MIRROR, PARROT
- BLUE: MANIA BUG, CRAZE, FAD, FEVER
- GREEN: SPORTS CRICKET, GOLF, POLO, SQUASH
- PURPLE: SINGLE ANIMAL IN A CREATIVELY SPELLED BAND NAMEBEETLE, BIRD, GORILLA, MONKEY
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.