Technology

• Ford CEO hits back at US government's China claims
• Ford’s new Fathom electric pick-up uses technology licensed from CATL
• The affordable Fathom is part of Ford’s new Universal EV platform

Ford has hit back at criticisms from US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that the automaker is becoming overly reliant on Chinese car companies, with Chief Executive Jim Farley telling The Wall Street Journal that these are “basic misunderstandings, mistruths, whatever words you want to use.”

The global automaker, which is winding up production of its current F-150 Lightning, is preparing a smaller, more affordable electric pick-up for the masses.

Dubbed Fathom, it will start at $28,350 (around £20,970 / AU$39,540) before destination fees and is the result of work by Ford’s “skunkworks” team, which was assembled to find ways to innovate in the EV space while keeping costs down and competing with increasingly capable Chinese electric vehicles.

However, the Transportation Secretary accused Ford of “actively intertwining its future with Chinese state-backed enterprises,” including a plant that licenses technology from Chinese battery giant CATL, according to the WSJ.

Ford announced in 2023 that it would begin manufacturing its own lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries at the newly formed BlueOval Battery Park Michigan in Marshall.

(Image credit: Ford)

The company subsequently confirmed that the plant would use technology and expertise licensed from China-based CATL, but Ford would own and operate the facility and assemble the batteries in the US.

Production of the LFP battery cells destined for Ford’s affordable electric pick-up is now ramping up, with Ford saying it is on track to ship batteries in 2026. Farley is adamant that the arrangement does not amount to handing control of Ford’s future to China.

“We’re not enabling the Chinese to come here,” Farley told the WSJ. “Actually, you could argue the opposite is the case.”

In a statement published by Ford HQ on its media site, the company said that it is the "most American automaker".

"We produce more vehicles in the US, employ more hourly manufacturing workers and export more vehicles from the US than any other automaker", it added.

Despite a retirement in its current form, the F-150 Lightning itself isn't being killed off entirely, either. Ford says production of the current version will end this year, with a next-generation F-150 Lightning EREV planned to offer more than 700 miles of combined range using a battery and gasoline-powered generator.

Analysis: All hopes rest on Fathom

(Image credit: Ford)

Ford’s CEO has called the creation of its new Universal EV platform, which it hopes will underpin a whole host of new EVs, the company’s “Model T moment,” stating that the platform will help bring electric trucks and vehicles to customers at a more affordable price.

Full details of the Fathom are still to be revealed, but we do know that it will cost less than $30,000 before destination charges when it goes on sale, with a starting MSRP of $28,350 (about £20,970 / AU$39,540). It will use one of Ford’s new LFP battery packs and feature a NACS charging port.

It will also pack bidirectional charging, allowing owners to power tools and other accessories from the batteries, and every Fathom will have the hardware required for Ford’s next-generation BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system.

Four doors, five passengers, a generous rear bed and a front trunk for extra storage will all come as standard, while Ford is targeting a midsize footprint with more passenger space than a Toyota RAV4.

Ford hopes that its electric trucks will finally hit home with a mass-market audience, thanks to the technology on offer and extremely competitive pricing.

Although it will count the Jeff Bezos-backed Slate truck as a key competitor, that pick-up is priced from less than $25,000 (about £18,490 / AU$34,870) before destination charges.

• Ukrainian firm Drone Fight Group has delivered three Humvees fitted with its Kaban remote-control kit
• The Kaban kit bolts on without modifying the vehicle's structure, allowing crews to switch between remote and manual modes depending on their needs
• The primary control link here is Starlink, with analog video and radio communication as a fallback, in addition to an automatic stop if connections are not found

Ukraine has begun converting American-supplied Humvees into remotely operated ground vehicles using a bolt-on kit that leaves the original vehicle intact and routes its control signals through Starlink.

The system is called Kaban, Ukrainian for "boar." Developer Drone Fight Group says it has delivered three converted High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles to Ukrainian formations: the 3rd Army Corps, the 429th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment "Achilles," and the 49th Brigade.

With over 5,000 Humvees in service in Ukraine thanks to US military aid and grants, the Kaban retrofit could have far-reaching impacts in a war zone where automation is increasingly being used on both sides.

What does Kaban offer the Ukrainian military?

Rather than designing a purpose-built robot and waiting for it to reach production, Kaban turns existing hardware units into an unmanned platform on demand. This is crucial in a war where economics dictate much of the conflict, and both sides often have to repurpose aging military hardware to meet their needs.

Kaban installs without modifying the vehicle's structure, and operators can switch between remote and manual driving. This is crucial, as a converted Humvee is still essentially a manually driven vehicle with an add-on, and a crew can physically drive it when the mission requires a person behind the wheel.

SpaceX's Starlink functions as the primary control link for Kaban deployments. The system also supports analog video transmission and radio control as backup channels, letting it hedge its bets in an environment where any single link can be blocked or targeted, rendering devices that rely on it useless.

From the control station, an operator gets vehicle movement plus headlights, infrared illumination, searchlights, two-way audio, and telemetry from the vehicle's onboard computer. Navigation runs on a digital map where the operator plots routes and drops markers, with a predicted trajectory overlay to help maneuver the Humvee.

If the on-device GPS is jammed or spoofed, which is a routine occurrence near the line of contact, the operator can correct the vehicle's position manually instead of losing it to attackers. If the link fails entirely, however, Kaban brings the vehicle to an automatic stop.

The move to a satellite link is a paradigm shift on a battlefield that has recently relied heavily on short-range radio or spooled fiber, both of which require the controller to be nearby. The satellite link essentially lets operators deploy and control military hardware from a much greater distance, improving their safety.

Optional equipment the Kaban can come with for retrofitted Humvees includes thermal cameras, searchlights, net launchers to catch incoming drones, and platforms for launching Ukraine's own drones, making it a highly versatile option on the battlefield.

The news comes as the world sees a massive ramp-up in Ukrainian ground robotics. Ukraine's Ministry of Defense recorded more than 100,000 UGV logistics and evacuation missions in 2026 till August 20, logged in the DELTA combat management system.

Most of those, however, are purpose-built platforms that concentrate on one particular aspect of the military's needs. Kaban bets that the faster route to fleet-scale automation runs through the vehicles a military already owns, a proposition that could have an impact far beyond the Russia-Ukraine war, as militaries worldwide continue to observe the conflict.

• Ukrainian firm Drone Fight Group has delivered three Humvees fitted with its Kaban remote-control kit
• The Kaban kit bolts on without modifying the vehicle's structure, allowing crews to switch between remote and manual modes depending on their needs
• The primary control link here is Starlink, with analog video and radio communication as a fallback, in addition to an automatic stop if connections are not found

Ukraine has begun converting American-supplied Humvees into remotely operated ground vehicles using a bolt-on kit that leaves the original vehicle intact and routes its control signals through Starlink.

The system is called Kaban, Ukrainian for "boar." Developer Drone Fight Group says it has delivered three converted High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles to Ukrainian formations: the 3rd Army Corps, the 429th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment "Achilles," and the 49th Brigade.

With over 5,000 Humvees in service in Ukraine thanks to US military aid and grants, the Kaban retrofit could have far-reaching impacts in a war zone where automation is increasingly being used on both sides.

What does Kaban offer the Ukrainian military?

Rather than designing a purpose-built robot and waiting for it to reach production, Kaban turns existing hardware units into an unmanned platform on demand. This is crucial in a war where economics dictate much of the conflict, and both sides often have to repurpose aging military hardware to meet their needs.

Kaban installs without modifying the vehicle's structure, and operators can switch between remote and manual driving. This is crucial, as a converted Humvee is still essentially a manually driven vehicle with an add-on, and a crew can physically drive it when the mission requires a person behind the wheel.

SpaceX's Starlink functions as the primary control link for Kaban deployments. The system also supports analog video transmission and radio control as backup channels, letting it hedge its bets in an environment where any single link can be blocked or targeted, rendering devices that rely on it useless.

From the control station, an operator gets vehicle movement plus headlights, infrared illumination, searchlights, two-way audio, and telemetry from the vehicle's onboard computer. Navigation runs on a digital map where the operator plots routes and drops markers, with a predicted trajectory overlay to help maneuver the Humvee.

If the on-device GPS is jammed or spoofed, which is a routine occurrence near the line of contact, the operator can correct the vehicle's position manually instead of losing it to attackers. If the link fails entirely, however, Kaban brings the vehicle to an automatic stop.

The move to a satellite link is a paradigm shift on a battlefield that has recently relied heavily on short-range radio or spooled fiber, both of which require the controller to be nearby. The satellite link essentially lets operators deploy and control military hardware from a much greater distance, improving their safety.

Optional equipment the Kaban can come with for retrofitted Humvees includes thermal cameras, searchlights, net launchers to catch incoming drones, and platforms for launching Ukraine's own drones, making it a highly versatile option on the battlefield.

The news comes as the world sees a massive ramp-up in Ukrainian ground robotics. Ukraine's Ministry of Defense recorded more than 100,000 UGV logistics and evacuation missions in 2026 till August 20, logged in the DELTA combat management system.

Most of those, however, are purpose-built platforms that concentrate on one particular aspect of the military's needs. Kaban bets that the faster route to fleet-scale automation runs through the vehicles a military already owns, a proposition that could have an impact far beyond the Russia-Ukraine war, as militaries worldwide continue to observe the conflict.

Looking for a different 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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, September 11 (game #1188).

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 #1189) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• TURN SIGNAL
• WEATHER
• POSTER
• BUMPER STICKER
• VANITY PLATE
• CURSOR
• SPOILER
• TROLL
• SMOKE DETECTOR
• FUZZY DICE
• SPAMMER
• NERD
• RED
• EYELIDS
• HOOD ORNAMENT
• LURKER

NYT Connections today (game #1189) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Vehicle adornments
• GREEN: Chatroom characters
• BLUE: Flickering on and off
• PURPLE: Add a word that means “be aware”

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 #1189) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR
• GREEN: PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM
• BLUE: THINGS THAT BLINK
• PURPLE: ______ ALERT

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

NYT Connections today (game #1189) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1189, are…

• YELLOW: WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR: BUMPER STICKER, FUZZY DICE, HOOD ORNAMENT, VANITY PLATE
• GREEN: PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM: LURKER, POSTER, SPAMMER, TROLL
• BLUE: THINGS THAT BLINK: CURSOR, EYELIDS, SMOKE DETECTOR, TURN SIGNAL
• PURPLE: ______ ALERT: NERD, RED, SPOILER, WEATHER

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I missed the chance of completing the groups in difficulty order (yellow-green-blue-purple) by getting ___ ALERT ahead of THINGS THAT BLINK, but this was already a far from perfect game.

My two mistakes were logical, in my mind, as I tried SPOILER for both WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR and PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM.

Speaking of bumper stickers, I recently spotted a niche one at a music festival that featured a picture of David Byrne with a speech bubble saying “How do I work this?” and “How did I get here?” and the legend “Keep honking — I have found myself behind the wheel of a large automobile” — lyrics from the Talking Heads classic Once in a Lifetime.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, September 11, 2026, game #1188)

• YELLOW: PEOPLE HIRED FOR AN EVENT: BAND, FLORIST, PHOTOGRAPHER, PLANNER
• GREEN: INTERNALIZE: ABSORB, DIGEST, PROCESS, TAKE IN
• BLUE: WAYS TO PRACTICE SELF-CARE: EXERCISE, JOURNAL, MEDITATE, UNPLUG
• PURPLE: THINGS THAT ARE PUSHED METAPHORICALLY: AGENDA, ENVELOPE, LIMITS, LUCK

What is NYT Connections?

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.

Looking for a different 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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, September 11 (game #1188).

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 #1189) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• TURN SIGNAL
• WEATHER
• POSTER
• BUMPER STICKER
• VANITY PLATE
• CURSOR
• SPOILER
• TROLL
• SMOKE DETECTOR
• FUZZY DICE
• SPAMMER
• NERD
• RED
• EYELIDS
• HOOD ORNAMENT
• LURKER

NYT Connections today (game #1189) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Vehicle adornments
• GREEN: Chatroom characters
• BLUE: Flickering on and off
• PURPLE: Add a word that means “be aware”

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 #1189) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR
• GREEN: PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM
• BLUE: THINGS THAT BLINK
• PURPLE: ______ ALERT

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

NYT Connections today (game #1189) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1189, are…

• YELLOW: WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR: BUMPER STICKER, FUZZY DICE, HOOD ORNAMENT, VANITY PLATE
• GREEN: PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM: LURKER, POSTER, SPAMMER, TROLL
• BLUE: THINGS THAT BLINK: CURSOR, EYELIDS, SMOKE DETECTOR, TURN SIGNAL
• PURPLE: ______ ALERT: NERD, RED, SPOILER, WEATHER

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I missed the chance of completing the groups in difficulty order (yellow-green-blue-purple) by getting ___ ALERT ahead of THINGS THAT BLINK, but this was already a far from perfect game.

My two mistakes were logical, in my mind, as I tried SPOILER for both WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR and PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM.

Speaking of bumper stickers, I recently spotted a niche one at a music festival that featured a picture of David Byrne with a speech bubble saying “How do I work this?” and “How did I get here?” and the legend “Keep honking — I have found myself behind the wheel of a large automobile” — lyrics from the Talking Heads classic Once in a Lifetime.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, September 11, 2026, game #1188)

• YELLOW: PEOPLE HIRED FOR AN EVENT: BAND, FLORIST, PHOTOGRAPHER, PLANNER
• GREEN: INTERNALIZE: ABSORB, DIGEST, PROCESS, TAKE IN
• BLUE: WAYS TO PRACTICE SELF-CARE: EXERCISE, JOURNAL, MEDITATE, UNPLUG
• PURPLE: THINGS THAT ARE PUSHED METAPHORICALLY: AGENDA, ENVELOPE, LIMITS, LUCK

What is NYT Connections?

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.

Looking for a different day?

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, September 11 (game #922).

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 #923) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Don’t obsess

NYT Strands today (game #923) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• EACH
• STEED
• BEAR
• GONE
• GUNGE
• TRIFLE
• LIFE

NYT Strands today (game #923) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 7 letters

NYT Strands today (game #923) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

• First side: left, 4th row

• Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #923) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #923, are…

• LIBERATE
• FREE
• RELEASE
• DETACH
• UNLOOSE
• SPANGRAM: LETITGO

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

I didn’t understand today’s theme at first and even after spotting LIBERATE I still needed a hint (FREE) before I finally got going.

I first heard of the phrase LETITGO in the 1990s, when a Buddhist rapper explained the concept to me and how it had helped them deal with fame and pressure.

Initially, I’d thought it was about possessions rather than feelings, but it’s a philosophy I adhere to in the main. That said, in my opinion, certain people in the world deserve all the negative energy we can fire in their direction — letting it go would just be letting them off the hook.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, September 11, game #922)

• BRIDGE
• BARGE
• SHIP
• DOCK
• PIER
• LIGHTHOUSE
• SPANGRAM: ONTHEWATERFRONT

What is NYT Strands?

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.

Looking for a different day?

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, September 11 (game #922).

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 #923) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Don’t obsess

NYT Strands today (game #923) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• EACH
• STEED
• BEAR
• GONE
• GUNGE
• TRIFLE
• LIFE

NYT Strands today (game #923) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 7 letters

NYT Strands today (game #923) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

• First side: left, 4th row

• Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #923) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #923, are…

• LIBERATE
• FREE
• RELEASE
• DETACH
• UNLOOSE
• SPANGRAM: LETITGO

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

I didn’t understand today’s theme at first and even after spotting LIBERATE I still needed a hint (FREE) before I finally got going.

I first heard of the phrase LETITGO in the 1990s, when a Buddhist rapper explained the concept to me and how it had helped them deal with fame and pressure.

Initially, I’d thought it was about possessions rather than feelings, but it’s a philosophy I adhere to in the main. That said, in my opinion, certain people in the world deserve all the negative energy we can fire in their direction — letting it go would just be letting them off the hook.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, September 11, game #922)

• BRIDGE
• BARGE
• SHIP
• DOCK
• PIER
• LIGHTHOUSE
• SPANGRAM: ONTHEWATERFRONT

What is NYT Strands?

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.

Looking for a different day?

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, September 11 (game #1691).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1692) — hint #1 — VowelsHow 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 #1692) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1692) — 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 #1692) — 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 #1692) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• B

• R

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1692) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1692, are…

• SUPER
• BRUSH
• RESET
• SOWER

Even though I only had three possibilities from my remaining letters I had doubts that my final word was SOWER.

Until this point though it had been stress free, so I needed a bit of risk to feel as if I'd achieved something.

Daily Sequence today (game #1692) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1692, are…

• EARTH
• PEACH
• SKIFF
• WAGER

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1691, Friday, 11 September: PLUSH, PAINT, RIVAL, AFOUL
• Quordle #1690, Thursday, 10 September: AGENT, EXILE, TITAN, PUREE
• Quordle #1689, Wednesday, 9 September: HAPPY, GONER, SMACK, MOTIF
• Quordle #1688, Tuesday, 8 September: FLUNG, DIARY, HALVE, BERTH
• Quordle #1687, Monday, 7 September: VISIT, CLANK, FEVER, OCEAN
• Quordle #1686, Sunday, 6 September: PILOT, HONOR, BOWEL, TAUNT
• Quordle #1685, Saturday, 5 September: GNASH, GEEKY, WHELP, PUTTY
• Quordle #1684, Friday, 4 September: QUICK, BEEFY, TRUCK, SNAIL
• Quordle #1683, Thursday, 3 September: SIGMA, ESSAY, MERRY, LLAMA
• Quordle #1682, Wednesday, 2 September: INCUR, FELLA, TITAN, FROZE
• Quordle #1681, Tuesday, 1 September: NASAL, ROUTE, ANKLE, MIGHT
• Quordle #1680, Monday, 31 August: ALIVE, LOUSE, ABOVE, MOSSY
• Quordle #1679, Sunday, 30 August: USING, SORRY, FILET, PIPER
• Quordle #1678, Saturday, 29 August: OVINE, ALLOY, VOICE, CARVE
• Quordle #1677, Friday, 28 August: WAIST, EDICT, BONUS, DEUCE
• Quordle #1676, Thursday, 27 August: SHEEN, TRICE, WAGON, BEVEL
• Quordle #1675, Wednesday, 26 August: OPIUM, EPOCH, BESET, FINER
• Quordle #1674, Tuesday, 25 August: BLESS, FELON, PORCH, CHOSE
• Quordle #1673, Monday, 24 August: MAJOR, VERGE, CRUSH, SCOFF
• Quordle #1672, Sunday, 23 August: CHASM, BLAME, PARER, BYLAW

Looking for a different day?

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, September 11 (game #1691).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1692) — hint #1 — VowelsHow 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 #1692) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1692) — 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 #1692) — 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 #1692) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• B

• R

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1692) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1692, are…

• SUPER
• BRUSH
• RESET
• SOWER

Even though I only had three possibilities from my remaining letters I had doubts that my final word was SOWER.

Until this point though it had been stress free, so I needed a bit of risk to feel as if I'd achieved something.

Daily Sequence today (game #1692) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1692, are…

• EARTH
• PEACH
• SKIFF
• WAGER

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1691, Friday, 11 September: PLUSH, PAINT, RIVAL, AFOUL
• Quordle #1690, Thursday, 10 September: AGENT, EXILE, TITAN, PUREE
• Quordle #1689, Wednesday, 9 September: HAPPY, GONER, SMACK, MOTIF
• Quordle #1688, Tuesday, 8 September: FLUNG, DIARY, HALVE, BERTH
• Quordle #1687, Monday, 7 September: VISIT, CLANK, FEVER, OCEAN
• Quordle #1686, Sunday, 6 September: PILOT, HONOR, BOWEL, TAUNT
• Quordle #1685, Saturday, 5 September: GNASH, GEEKY, WHELP, PUTTY
• Quordle #1684, Friday, 4 September: QUICK, BEEFY, TRUCK, SNAIL
• Quordle #1683, Thursday, 3 September: SIGMA, ESSAY, MERRY, LLAMA
• Quordle #1682, Wednesday, 2 September: INCUR, FELLA, TITAN, FROZE
• Quordle #1681, Tuesday, 1 September: NASAL, ROUTE, ANKLE, MIGHT
• Quordle #1680, Monday, 31 August: ALIVE, LOUSE, ABOVE, MOSSY
• Quordle #1679, Sunday, 30 August: USING, SORRY, FILET, PIPER
• Quordle #1678, Saturday, 29 August: OVINE, ALLOY, VOICE, CARVE
• Quordle #1677, Friday, 28 August: WAIST, EDICT, BONUS, DEUCE
• Quordle #1676, Thursday, 27 August: SHEEN, TRICE, WAGON, BEVEL
• Quordle #1675, Wednesday, 26 August: OPIUM, EPOCH, BESET, FINER
• Quordle #1674, Tuesday, 25 August: BLESS, FELON, PORCH, CHOSE
• Quordle #1673, Monday, 24 August: MAJOR, VERGE, CRUSH, SCOFF
• Quordle #1672, Sunday, 23 August: CHASM, BLAME, PARER, BYLAW

• Intel says it has processed more than one million wafers on High-NA EUV scanners
• The figure includes tool certification, R&D, and production combined
• ASML's total figure of 1.35 million High-NA wafers made to date puts Intel at roughly three-quarters of the world total to-date

Intel Foundry and ASML used the recent SPIE Photomask Technology and EUV Lithography conference in Monterey to announce the former has now processed more than one million 300mm wafers on ASML's High-NA EUV scanners.

The milestone is a key achievement for the chipmaker, which was only recently being considered an also-ran in the AI race, even as pressure continued to build up around its foundry ambitions.

A resurgent Intel, however, has seen its stock price soar nearly 155% year-to-date and an increasing number of collaborations, even as Nvidia and the US government took stakes in the corporation to gain exposure to its foundry business.

What does a million wafers mean in the nutshell?

The joint press release by Intel and ASML carefully notes that the 1 million figure includes Intel's own R&D projects, tool certification runs, and volume production of its Core Ultra Series 3 CPUs, also known as Panther Lake.

One can therefore not read this as one million commercial-grade Panther Lake wafers already being produced by the company, and neither company is touching base on offering a number.

Despite this, it is a huge achievement for one of the largest pioneers in semiconductors, especially when one considers that ASML's head of High-NA product management, Greet Storms, said the company's EXE systems had collectively exposed more than 1.35 million wafers, with ten systems running at four customers and three more being shipped or installed.

This makes Intel's share of the total exposed wafers roughly 74% of the total ASML mentioned in a list that has some of the world's largest foundry players, including TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix.

For investors, this matters because Intel has a lead none of its competitors do: it is the only company running High-NA on shipping product, and by ASML's own numbers, it has done most of the world's High-NA wafer exposure by itself.

It could also be that Intel's actual production figures might be much lower in an industry where most of the competition continues to tread cautiously when it comes to High-NA EUV; TSMC, for example, does not plan to begin High-NA volume production until 2030, even as Intel has considerably bet the farm on the tech, which costs as much as $350 million apiece, and the first-mover advantage it offers.

• Intel says it has processed more than one million wafers on High-NA EUV scanners
• The figure includes tool certification, R&D, and production combined
• ASML's total figure of 1.35 million High-NA wafers made to date puts Intel at roughly three-quarters of the world total to-date

Intel Foundry and ASML used the recent SPIE Photomask Technology and EUV Lithography conference in Monterey to announce the former has now processed more than one million 300mm wafers on ASML's High-NA EUV scanners.

The milestone is a key achievement for the chipmaker, which was only recently being considered an also-ran in the AI race, even as pressure continued to build up around its foundry ambitions.

A resurgent Intel, however, has seen its stock price soar nearly 155% year-to-date and an increasing number of collaborations, even as Nvidia and the US government took stakes in the corporation to gain exposure to its foundry business.

What does a million wafers mean in the nutshell?

The joint press release by Intel and ASML carefully notes that the 1 million figure includes Intel's own R&D projects, tool certification runs, and volume production of its Core Ultra Series 3 CPUs, also known as Panther Lake.

One can therefore not read this as one million commercial-grade Panther Lake wafers already being produced by the company, and neither company is touching base on offering a number.

Despite this, it is a huge achievement for one of the largest pioneers in semiconductors, especially when one considers that ASML's head of High-NA product management, Greet Storms, said the company's EXE systems had collectively exposed more than 1.35 million wafers, with ten systems running at four customers and three more being shipped or installed.

This makes Intel's share of the total exposed wafers roughly 74% of the total ASML mentioned in a list that has some of the world's largest foundry players, including TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix.

For investors, this matters because Intel has a lead none of its competitors do: it is the only company running High-NA on shipping product, and by ASML's own numbers, it has done most of the world's High-NA wafer exposure by itself.

It could also be that Intel's actual production figures might be much lower in an industry where most of the competition continues to tread cautiously when it comes to High-NA EUV; TSMC, for example, does not plan to begin High-NA volume production until 2030, even as Intel has considerably bet the farm on the tech, which costs as much as $350 million apiece, and the first-mover advantage it offers.

If you're looking for a coffee maker that will make preparing a delicious brew as simple as possible, you're in the right place. I test over a dozen coffee makers each year here at TechRadar, and here I've put together the three I think are the most beginner-friendly, and accessibly priced too.

There are scores of sophisticated bean-to-cup machines around that will brew complex coffee drinks at the tap of a button, but they require a lot of cleaning and are usually very expensive. All the options here are simple to maintain and affordable, making them a better choice overall if you're new to brewing.

Here I've picked three different machines for different brewing styles: a drip coffee maker for brewing a large pot of coffee with minimal hassle, a simple bean-to-cup espresso machine that requires minimal maintenance, and an easy-to-use capsule coffee maker that eliminates the need to handle beans or grounds entirely.

Breville Luxe Brewer ThermalFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

Brewing a batch of drip coffee is, fundamentally, a very straightforward process — you just pour hot water onto ground coffee and let it drip into a carafe — and the Luxe Brewer Thermal keeps things simple while providing a handful of genuinely useful customization options.

In my tests, the default settings worked well, but if you don't get just the right flavor from your beans, you can tweak the bloom time (how long the coffee is pre-infused with hot water), bloom temperature, brew time, and brew temperature to fine-tune the extraction.

The machine can also prepare a batch of cold-brewed coffee. Load it up with ground coffee (the Luxe Brewer Thermal comes with a handy guide to help you measure out the optimal amount), add water to the line on the tank, remove the carafe lid so it doesn't begin to drip, and press the button to start. Your coffee will be steeped cold for 24 hours, and the machine will beep to alert you when it's ready.

Read our full Breville Luxe Brewer Thermal review

Philips BaristinaFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

This is the smallest and cheapest bean-to-cup coffee maker I've ever tested, and it's so easy to use, it's ideal for beginners and a great option for anyone thinking of making the switch from coffee capsules.

Just load your beans in the top, fill the water tank, push in the empty portafilter handle, and slide it to the right. The Baristina will grind the perfect dose of coffee into the basket, tamp it down, then slide the whole handle to the left and pull the shot for you.

It's a piece of cake, and much easier to clean than a typical automatic espresso machine because there's no moisture or debris building up inside an enclosed case. The only drawback is that it can't steam milk (unless you pick up a bundle with the standalone milk frother), but Philips has just launched an updated version — the Baristina Latte — that solves that particular issue. I'm very much looking forward to testing it

Read our full Philips Baristina review

Bosch Tassimo Finesse FriendlyFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

Friendly by name, friendly by nature — unlike most coffee pod machines, the Finesse Friendly can create rich foam using pods of long-life milk for lattes and cappuccinos in an instant.

You can get plain milk for regular cappuccinos and lattes, or capsules of flavored milk designed to pair with a particular coffee capsule (like cinnamon roll latte, for example). I'm not usually a great fan of flavored coffee capsules, but Tassimo pods are genuinely tasty, and not overwhelmingly sweet.

The Finesse Friendly is cheap too, and is often discounted to £49.99 (about $70 / AU$90). The downside is that the capsules can be quite expensive, particularly for drinks that require two pods (one for coffee and one for milk). It still works out cheaper than an elaborate takeout habit, but bear in mind that this machine isn't currently available outside Europe unless imported.

Read our full Bosch Tassimo Finesse Friendly review

If you're looking for a coffee maker that will make preparing a delicious brew as simple as possible, you're in the right place. I test over a dozen coffee makers each year here at TechRadar, and here I've put together the three I think are the most beginner-friendly, and accessibly priced too.

There are scores of sophisticated bean-to-cup machines around that will brew complex coffee drinks at the tap of a button, but they require a lot of cleaning and are usually very expensive. All the options here are simple to maintain and affordable, making them a better choice overall if you're new to brewing.

Here I've picked three different machines for different brewing styles: a drip coffee maker for brewing a large pot of coffee with minimal hassle, a simple bean-to-cup espresso machine that requires minimal maintenance, and an easy-to-use capsule coffee maker that eliminates the need to handle beans or grounds entirely.

Breville Luxe Brewer ThermalFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

Brewing a batch of drip coffee is, fundamentally, a very straightforward process — you just pour hot water onto ground coffee and let it drip into a carafe — and the Luxe Brewer Thermal keeps things simple while providing a handful of genuinely useful customization options.

In my tests, the default settings worked well, but if you don't get just the right flavor from your beans, you can tweak the bloom time (how long the coffee is pre-infused with hot water), bloom temperature, brew time, and brew temperature to fine-tune the extraction.

The machine can also prepare a batch of cold-brewed coffee. Load it up with ground coffee (the Luxe Brewer Thermal comes with a handy guide to help you measure out the optimal amount), add water to the line on the tank, remove the carafe lid so it doesn't begin to drip, and press the button to start. Your coffee will be steeped cold for 24 hours, and the machine will beep to alert you when it's ready.

Read our full Breville Luxe Brewer Thermal review

Philips BaristinaFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

This is the smallest and cheapest bean-to-cup coffee maker I've ever tested, and it's so easy to use, it's ideal for beginners and a great option for anyone thinking of making the switch from coffee capsules.

Just load your beans in the top, fill the water tank, push in the empty portafilter handle, and slide it to the right. The Baristina will grind the perfect dose of coffee into the basket, tamp it down, then slide the whole handle to the left and pull the shot for you.

It's a piece of cake, and much easier to clean than a typical automatic espresso machine because there's no moisture or debris building up inside an enclosed case. The only drawback is that it can't steam milk (unless you pick up a bundle with the standalone milk frother), but Philips has just launched an updated version — the Baristina Latte — that solves that particular issue. I'm very much looking forward to testing it

Read our full Philips Baristina review

Bosch Tassimo Finesse FriendlyFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

Friendly by name, friendly by nature — unlike most coffee pod machines, the Finesse Friendly can create rich foam using pods of long-life milk for lattes and cappuccinos in an instant.

You can get plain milk for regular cappuccinos and lattes, or capsules of flavored milk designed to pair with a particular coffee capsule (like cinnamon roll latte, for example). I'm not usually a great fan of flavored coffee capsules, but Tassimo pods are genuinely tasty, and not overwhelmingly sweet.

The Finesse Friendly is cheap too, and is often discounted to £49.99 (about $70 / AU$90). The downside is that the capsules can be quite expensive, particularly for drinks that require two pods (one for coffee and one for milk). It still works out cheaper than an elaborate takeout habit, but bear in mind that this machine isn't currently available outside Europe unless imported.

Read our full Bosch Tassimo Finesse Friendly review

Make no mistake: This is not a Chromebook, and it won’t be cheap.

Built to highlight real-life surveillance, the mod includes 235 virtual cameras that you can destroy for in-game cash.

It’s the folding phone that launched a thousand takes.

If your home office is starting to feel drab as fall approaches, this is the perfect time to give it a quick makeover — and it doesn't have to be expensive. One of the most interesting color palettes around right now uses shades of earthy matcha green paired with bright, polished brass, and IKEA has all the furniture and accessories you need to create the look, starting at just $9.99.

If your existing office furniture is quite neutral, you can transform the overall vibe with just a few carefully chosen accents. IKEA has a great selection of gold-toned picture frames, green lamps (some of which double as Bluetooth speakers), brass desk accessories, and lush artificial plants to bring your workspace right up to date.

For a bigger change, take a look at the current range of deep-green storage solutions, including items that do double-duty as seating (ideal for small spaces). Scroll on for my pick of all the smartest picks at IKEA right now.

Matcha green and polished brass

IKEA Kallax Wire Basket

IKEA PS 2026 Floor Uplighter

IKEA Idåsen Cabinet With Drawer and Doors

IKEA Nålmakare Cabinet on Casters

IKEA Stockholm 2025 Tray

IKEA Kulglass Bluetooth Speaker Lamp

IKEA Idåsen Cabinet With Doors and Drawers

IKEA Pärlband Tealight Holder

IKEA Solvinden LED Table Lamp

IKEA Fejka Artificial Potted Plant

IKEA Silverhöjden Frame

IKEA Kallsup Portable Bluetooth Speaker

IKEA Stockholm 2025 Bowl And Dish

IKEA Valtorp Bench With Storage

IKEA Begåvning Glass Dome With Base

IKEA Torsjö Side Table

IKEA Fejka Artificial Potted Plant

IKEA Höstagille Scented Candle, Metal Tin

AppleCare One Family covers eligible devices for up to six people at $49.99 monthly. Compare its benefits, claim limits and potential savings.

The post AppleCare One Family Covers Six People for $49.99 a Month appeared first on TechRepublic.

Trump dismisses AI extinction warnings and says beating China is the priority as researchers and lawmakers call for stronger safeguards on advanced systems.

The post Trump on AI Extinction: Beating China Is the Bigger Concern appeared first on TechRepublic.

A recent report alleges Anthropic is finding ways to monitor activists and surveil dissent.