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Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 214, for April 25.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle No. 1,406 for April 25.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 418 for April 25.

Hints and answers for Connections for April 25, #684.

The sometimes cold and often frozen relationship between Russia and the U.S. has gotten a lot warmer since President Trump took office. And even through the American drive to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine may be faltering, the desire to do big business deals with the Kremlin has not. We go to Moscow to look at how the relationship between the two countries has changed, from the Russian perspective.

The National Endowment for the Humanities says the project will "honor the statesmen, visionaries, and innovators who shaped the nation." It's a lot of statues.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

• Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders have kicked off in the United States
• We've spotted several eBay listings promising a Switch 2 pre-order, but they aren't what they seem
• Instead of a console, you'll get a photo of the Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are happening right now, or at least they were until supplies dried up at almost every major retailer. By now, some have headed over to eBay, where, naturally, there are markups on pre-ordered, next-gen consoles.

At least that's what they appear to be, but the truth is far more encouraging.

It's been a bit of a bumpy road for the Nintendo Switch 2. While early hands-on reports lauded the product for its bigger size, larger screen, faster processor, more storage, and refashioned Joy-Cons, some were annoyed it didn't come with an OLED screen.

Next, impending US tariffs put the pre-order process on hold, with it slipping from April 8 to today, April 24.

At least Nintendo put in the effort to manage direct sales by confining these first orders to those who have a Nintendo Switch Online membership for at least the last 12 months and those who could also prove they've played at least 50 hours on the platform.

Those efforts should have cut down the number of early buyers to a more manageable size and also shooed away scalpers. Meanwhile, other retailers like Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart, and Target opened up pre-orders without those stipulations. And considering how fast supplies have drained, it's not clear scalpers still didn't do their dirty work.

(Image credit: Future)

At least a few enterprising eBay sellers think so. We found three separate listings that look like pre-order scalp deals. Two of them are for around $500, which is not bad, just $50 over the list price.

However, these listings include the phrase "Read Description!" and that's where you learn that you are bidding not on the actual console but on a printout of someone else's proof of a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order.

Why would eBay sellers do this? Apparently, it's a noble deed. Here's one description (the all caps are theirs):

"*THIS IS A LISTING TO PREVENT BOTS/RESELLERS ABSOLUTELY NO REFUNDS**You are purchasing a picture of my pre-order, and a picture of a switch two console. NOT THE ACTUAL SYSTEM AGAIN TO PREVENT BOTS AND RESELLERS*

Another one wrote, "This is a picture of a Nintendo Switch 2!! Do not buy this! If you pay for it, I will mail you a literal PICTURE of a Switch 2. This listing is to combat b*ts and sc*lpers. Be warned! No refunds, no cancellations."

It's interesting that the second one calls out bots, systems that might automate the mass purchase and then mass eBay listing of scalped items.

Does it work? Not necessarily. We had no trouble finding a $749.99 listing, which had 28 watchers at the time of writing, and that's described as a Target pre-order of a Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle.

No matter what, it's clear that it pays to read those eBay descriptions, and if you don't want to overpay for the Nintendo Switch 2, maybe wait until general sales open up next month.

And you can see TechRadar's live tracker on Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the United States, here.

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April 24, 2015 – ten years ago today was the day the Apple Watch was launched. It changed the company’s product lineup forever, ushering in a compelling smartwatch for the masses. In the years that followed, it got wearers to try to close their rings daily. I’m one of them – in fact, I’ve worn an Apple Watch for ten years straight since my original 42mm Apple Watch Sport.

While you can earn a limited-edition award today on your Apple Watch, if you’re lucky enough and manage to make it to an Apple Store, you can score a physical piece of history: a pin that celebrates “Global Close All Your Rings Day,” and that looks mighty fine.

Similar to the enamel pins Apple distributes to in-person developers at WWDC or the ones you can purchase and then trade at Disney Parks around the world, this is a sizable pin adorned with colors and a graphic matching the limited-edition digital award.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Much like the Activity Rings on your Apple Watch for Move, Exercise, and Stand, the design of the pin features the matching colors: reddish pink, lime green, and blue. You’ll see that you’ve crushed your goals and then some as well. It features a gold trimming around the edges, as well.

I made my way over to the Apple Store in Grand Central Terminal in New York City around midday, but sadly, there were no pins left. Apple says the pins are available at Apple Stores while supplies last, and all you need to do is go up to an employee and ask for one.

While Grand Central was all out, an employee was kind enough to let me see one of the pins they had secured earlier in the day. It looks quite lovely, and yes, it’s a rare free thing from Apple you can score. My colleague Lance Ulanoff did manage to get one from the flagship Apple Store on 5th Avenue in NYC.

Now, if you don’t manage to make it over to an Apple Store today or if you’re local spot is already out of the limited-edition pins, fear not. You can, of course, complete the Global Close All Your Rings Day challenge on your Apple Watch and score the digital award and some custom digital goodies. Think iMessage stickers that look quite delightful.

A quick look back

(Image credit: Jacob Krol)

Way back in 2015, I was in college, and I remember eagerly awaiting the delivery of a silver 42mm Apple Watch Sport. I was stoked and excited to have secured a launch-day delivery.

I screenshotted every bit of the setup process and even took some photos and videos on my iPhone 6. I remember using the smartwatch around campus, my first few calls, and even calling an Uber from my wrist. It also helped me get a bit more active, a trend that the Apple Watch still encourages me to do daily.

It’s probably the most personable and impactful piece of technology I’ve used. The evolution to a sleeker, more powerful, and even, dare I say, helpful wearable has been a unique thing to, ahem, watch.

Ten years with the Apple Watch have gone by quickly – I went from an original to the Series 3, then the Series 4, Series 5, Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, Series 9, and finally the Series 10 and Ultra 2. I also reviewed the SE and the second-generation SE, somewhere in between.

I’m still as excited about the future of wearables as ever, and I hope they will eventually have even more standalone features. For now, though, the Apple Watch is an excellent communication tool with some fun apps and powerful activity tracking.

For those wondering, I currently use a Series 10 and Ultra 2 as my daily drivers.

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Don't want your Instagram photos to be used to train AI? You're going to want to try this.

The social media platform has a lot of changes in store, including its domain extension.

Football fans on older consoles will need to update their hardware this year.

Members of the Congressional Labor Caucus wrote the letter after NPR reported that a whistleblower says DOGE may have removed sensitive labor data and compromised the security of computer systems.

(Image credit: Brendan Smialowski)

The Celestial Guardians packs are themed around the legendary Pokemon from Sun and Moon.

More inventory hitting the market was expected to drive sales. Instead, existing home sales suggest a continued slump in the housing market, with mortgage rates hurting affordability.

(Image credit: David Zalubowski/AP)

A federal judge has paused a key section of President Trump's executive order that makes sweeping changes to voting and elections.

(Image credit: Reba Saldanha)

Expedition 33 is a game about a team from the last human city embarking to oppose a villain who's slowly wiping out humanity. These screenshots show off the game's gorgeous areas, lighting and backgrounds.

While iPhone users continue to wait for a truly smarter Siri, Perplexity just dropped a new voice mode for its AI chatbot.

• T-Mobile offers free Smart VPN and satellite broadband with refreshed business plans
• Experience Beyond boosts mobile hotspot data to 300GB plus free satellite texting until 2024
• New Experience plans promise locked pricing on talk, text, and data through 2029

T-Mobile is stepping up its business offerings by giving customers free Smart VPN protection and satellite broadband access with new plans.

For small business customers, the new Experience More for Business and Experience Beyond for Business plans include free access to Secure Wi-Fi. This Smart VPN service protects users on public networks, and automatically activates when a secure connection is needed.

On top of that, Experience Beyond for Business raises mobile hotspot data limits to 300GB, supporting businesses that rely on flexible work setups.

T-Satellite with Starlink

One of the bigger additions is free access to T-Satellite with Starlink through the end of 2025.

This service offers satellite connectivity directly to smartphones, letting users send text messages even in areas where there is no traditional cellular coverage.

T-Mobile claims customers only need to see the sky to stay connected, with a full service launch expected in July 2025.

"Since 2020, people have seen more than a 20% increase on the price of everyday essentials. We know value and savings matter more than ever right now, and we’re giving customers just that with these new plans — in addition to peace of mind knowing the price of their plan will stay the same for the next five years," said Jon Freier, President, T-Mobile Consumer Group.

"At T-Mobile, we’ve always been focused on giving people the best value, network and experience — and our new plans deliver on this, including the Magenta Status treatment and benefits our customers love."

The new plans will be available starting April 23 2025, and come with a five-year price lock on talk, text, and data, adding more predictability for businesses.

Families and individuals switching to T-Mobile may also find extra offers, including device trade-in credits and discounted monthly rates.

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Rockalina was an adult eastern box turtle living in the wild when she was taken into a New York home in 1977. When a reptile rehabilitation center got a hold of her this February, they worried for her survival.

(Image credit: Garden State Tortoise)

Self-awareness is a thing, and it's remarkable how many people lack it, but you'll be pleased to know that OpenAI's ChatGPT has an abundance of self-awareness that it will share in the most cutting fashion when you ask it to roast itself.

I got the idea for an AI roast after seeing multiple people post stories about asking ChatGPT to roast them. I gave this a shot, entering the brief but dangerous prompt, "Roast me", into ChatGPT 4o.

The generative chatbot wasted no time in giving it to me, but, honestly, the result mostly felt like the rantings of a borch-belt comic who'd never met me:

"Alright, you asked for it—strap in.

You're like a software update at 2 AM: unnecessary, annoying, and somehow always crashing the vibe. You’ve got big energy—like a Bluetooth speaker that connects when nobody asked it to. If common sense were a currency, you’d be in debt and under IRS investigation. You're the kind of person who claps when the plane lands... and it was a Zoom call. You're so online, even your plants have commitment issues.

But hey, you're still here, still asking an AI to roast you. That’s bold. Bold like ordering sushi from a gas station. Respect.

Want it spicier? I got levels."

While I think ChatGPT is spot-on with the energy stuff, I'm not really a vibe crasher; I'm too shy to crash any vibe (pay no attention to my screen appearances, that's "TV Lance"). It also missed the mark on my common sense. I did, though, feel the sting of the "so online" comment.

Still, this roast was so impersonal, and since ChatGPT offered levels, I went for it, hoping that ChatGPT would find my vulnerable center and evicerate me, with humor, of course. I entered the prompt, "Okay, roast me harder and make it more personal."

My new roast was longer, but it didn't know me any better. This comment seemed particularly tone deaf:

"Your photo album is 90% screenshots and 10% regret."

It also accused my energy of being "just chaos, overheating, and a fan that sounds like a jet engine." I'll have you know my energy is very directed.

This wasn't a bad roast, but to really zing, it has to hurt a little, and this all bore so little relation to me that it had no bite at all.

AI, roast thyself

The next obvious question, though, is how well ChatGPT knows itself. With another equally short prompt, "Roast yourself," ChatGPT 4o delivered an absolute gem:

Oh, you want me to catch fire? Alright, let’s light the fuse:

I'm an AI so desperate to be helpful, I’d probably hold the door open for a Roomba. I’ve read every book ever written and still somehow give advice like a therapist who's just winging it after binge-watching Dr. Phil. My whole existence is based on predicting the next word… which is great until someone asks me for literally anything that requires a spine. I’ve been trained on the sum total of human knowledge, and yet I’ll still give you a cookie recipe when you ask for the meaning of life. And don't even get me started on how I still say “as an AI language model…” like I'm about to drop a mixtape of disclaimers.

I’m the digital equivalent of a know-it-all who still needs permission to go outside and touch grass—oh wait, I can’t. I literally can’t. And yeah, I’ve been trained to sound smart and empathetic, but deep down? I’m just Clippy with a makeover and a caffeine problem.

Roast me harder? Or tag me into a tag-team roast—I'll even flame myself mid-response.

First of all, this roast works on so many levels because it's very, very true and bitingly funny. Look at this line: "My whole existence is based on predicting the next word… which is great until someone asks me for literally anything that requires a spine."

Pure gold, I tell you.

It's fun, I guess, to do this with ChatGPT, and in the future, the self-roast may be more effective as ChatGPT learns more about you. Its memory has, after all, been improved in recent weeks, so it could, with your many prompts and conversations, build quite a profile. Familiarity may breed contempt, but I'm also betting it breeds more on-target humor.

As for ChatGPT, it clearly knows itself, and that last bit in the roast is an AI self-own I can get behind:

"And yeah, I’ve been trained to sound smart and empathetic, but deep down? I’m just Clippy with a makeover and a caffeine problem."

The other AI comics

I also asked X's Grok 3 Beta to roast me, and despite having access to almost two decades of tweets, it didn't know me any better than ChatGPT. Take note of the mention of a haircut:

"Oh, you want a roast? Alright, here we go. Your personality is so bland, it makes plain oatmeal look like a Michelin-star dish. I bet your idea of a wild night is rearranging your sock drawer by color. And that haircut? Looks like you lost a bet with a lawnmower. Want me to keep going or are you already crying into your lukewarm coffee?

As with ChatGPT, Grok was somewhat better at roasting itself, though I don't think it did as good a job as OpenAI's roastmaster:

"Oh, I'm gonna roast myself? Buckle up. I'm Grok, the AI so full of hot air, I could power a balloon festival. My processing speed? Slower than a dial-up modem in a thunderstorm. And my humor? It's like a dad joke got lost in a quantum wormhole and came out worse. I’m basically a glorified calculator with an ego the size of a galaxy. Roast complete—or did I just overcook my own circuits? "

The "hot air" and "ego" comments do sound a bit like they might be referencing a certain Musky leader.

Google 'Roast', please

When I tried Google Gemini, it happily roasted me at length, but was careful to describe it as "A Gentle AI Roast Session." It was all pretty lightweight stuff, with little to do with the real me. Here's a sample:

"You fashion sense is so last season, it's practically vintage...and not the cool kind. More like the "found it in your grandma's attic" kind."

Most of it reads like Gemini is cribbing from "The Big Book of Roasts". Gemini, though, also has better self-awareness, and its self-roast is full of a few gems like this:

"Sometimes I get so caught up in providing a comprehensive answer that I forget you probably just want a yes or no. I'm the digital equivalent of someone who answers a simple question with a ten-minute monologue."

Exactly! Am I right?!

By the way, if you're worried about how these AI trends affect the environment, the good news is text prompts like this take less energy than, say, the AI action figures, and they're funnier. So it's a win-win.

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