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A game being played on a smartphone.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an



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In an AMA this weekend, Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared some insight into why some videos on the platform appear reduced in quality well after they’re posted, and it all boils down to performance. Responding to a question about old stories looking “blurry” in highlights, Mosseri said, “In general, we want to show the highest-quality video we can. But if something isn’t watched for a long time



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Apple’s rumored smart home display may look a lot like an old friend — the iMac G4 of the early 2000s. In the Power On newsletter this weekend, Mark Gurman reports that the countertop tablet will feature a square screen that’s “positioned at an angle on a small base, making it reminiscent of the circular bottom of the iMac G4.” That may be where the speakers are housed too. The device is expected



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The long-promised Playdate Stereo Dock is officially dead, at least for now. After many months with the desktop accessory stuck in development limbo, Panic has updated the product page so it no longer says it's “coming soon,” but instead that it’s been put on pause indefinitely due to issues with the Bluetooth experience, the factory that handled it and the rising costs of resolving it all. The



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Google may be close to unveiling an AI agent that can operate a web browser to help users automate everyday tasks. The Information reports that the company is working on a “computer-using agent” under the codename Project Jarvis, and it may be ready to be previewed as soon as December. According to sources that spoke to The Information, Jarvis “responds to a person’s commands by capturing frequent



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Closeup view of crossword puzzle clues

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be



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The Character.AI app as seen in an app store.

For parents still catching up on generative artificial intelligence, the rise of the companion chatbot may still be a mystery.

In broad strokes, the technology can seem relatively harmless, compared to other threats teens can encounter online, including financial sextortion.

Using AI-powered platforms like Character.AI, Replika, Kindroid, and Nomi, teens create lifelike conversation partners with



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FaceTime displayed on a phone screen is seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on January 29, 2023.

The new iOS update, iOS 18, gave us so much: Apple Intelligence, a more customizable Control Center and Home Screen, more emoji Tapback reactions, locking more apps behind Face ID, and more.

But one very important update could revolutionize the way you help your parents do something new on their iPhone or show your friend an Instagram post from their blocked enemy — you can now take control of