Technology

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 31.

• MagStor's Thunderbolt 5 LTO drive builds on its 2020 Thunderbolt 3 model
• TB5 certainly adds speed but what's the real-world benefit for tape?
• There's no word on pricing, but it's unlikely to be cheap

MagStor introduced the world’s first Thunderbolt 3 LTO tape drive back in 2020, blending traditional tape-based storage with modern connectivity, and now, the company has announced the world’s first Thunderbolt 5 LTO tape drive.

The company describes its latest product as the next step in offering flexible, high-speed backup and archival solutions for professionals working with large volumes of data.

Tape storage continues to be a standard for long-term archival needs due to its durability and capacity, and the Thunderbolt 5 LTO drive is designed for use in data-heavy environments such as media production and enterprise IT. By integrating Thunderbolt 5, MagStor hopes to offer a faster, more streamlined connection between tape hardware and modern computing systems.

Increased speed

The new drive works with both macOS and Windows and while Thunderbolt 5 offers higher bandwidth than previous versions, tape speeds remain limited by the format itself.

Although MagStor hasn’t provided many technical specifications, it’s a given the new product will support LTO-9 tapes (18TB native / 45TB compressed capacity), as its predecessor does.

There's no confirmation yet on compatibility with next-generation LTO-10 tapes, expected to arrive in the second quarter of 2025, which offer up to 36TB native and 90TB compressed capacity, but it would be a missed opportunity if that support isn’t included.

Thunderbolt 5 achieves data transfer rates of up to 80Gbps (10GB/s) bi-directionally in standard mode, and up to 120Gbps in one direction when using Bandwidth Boost mode.

LTO-10 is expected to deliver read speeds of around 472MB/s, which is a step up from LTO-8 at 360MB/s and LTO-9 at 400MB/s.

MagStor says the Thunderbolt 5 LTO drive will be released by the end of 2025. Pricing has not yet been announced, but it's unlikely to be cheap.

The company’s LTO-9 Thunderbolt 3 drive retails for $6,299 and whether the added speed of Thunderbolt 5 will justify the inevitable price hike remains to be seen.

“At MagStor, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in data storage,” said Tim Gerhard, VP of Product at MagStor. “After revolutionizing the market with the first-ever Thunderbolt 3 LTO drive, we’re excited to raise the bar again with Thunderbolt 5, ensuring our customers have access to the most powerful and flexible storage solutions available.”

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Increase productivity or take your digital coloring to the next level with a new USB-C Apple Pencil. Snag yours for just $50 during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale.

Hints and answers for Connections for March 31, No. 659.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 393 for March 31.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle No. 1,381 for March 31.

Look, I love Windows, I do, I really do. It's one of those things that I just can't live without at this point. I've tried MacOS, I've tried Linux, I've even dabbled in the world of Android and Chromebooks during my time, and yet, none of it compares to Windows; it just doesn't.

There's a certain amount of familiarity, of indoctrination into that Microsoft cult that's rife in me. I grew up using Windows 98, and onwards, it was what I gamed on, what I studied on, what I made lifelong friends on—you name it. 98, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and finally we're here at Windows 11, at least until Microsoft inevitably tells us that its "final" operating system isn't its final operating system.

The thing is though, it really is a bag of spanners at times, and I've kinda developed this habit of going thermonuclear on my own machine at quite regular intervals over my lifetime.

Mostly by flattening and reinstalling Windows onto my PC every other month or so. Why? I'm glad you asked.

The need for an occasional refresh

Well, the thing is, although Windows gives you a lot of freedom and has broad compatibility with more programs than any other operating system out there, it does make it somewhat susceptible to bugs. Lots of them.

These can be inflicted by Microsoft directly through Windows Updates or drivers accidentally corrupting files or programs, or well, any number and manner of avenues.

The worst culprit, of course, is the classic "upgrade from the previous Windows version to this version." Just don't; it's never worth it.

Windows is great, but no operating system is designed to run perfectly forever. (Image credit: Microsoft)

See, registry files corrupt, file directories get mislabelled, and inevitably you'll end up with programs you forget about sitting in the background sucking up critical resources. It's just a bit crap like that, and ironically, although I do have a massive disdain towards macOS, I can't deny its closed-off ecosystem does avoid a lot of these pitfalls.

Whenever anyone asks me about a system bug or help with troubleshooting, my first and often instant reaction is to suggest just flattening the machine entirely and reinstalling a fresh version of Windows on top.

That's why I advocate tying a full-fat Windows license to your Microsoft account so you can easily reinstall and activate Windows 11 on your machine on a dime.

An arduous task

It does require some getting used to this salting-the-earth kind of strategy, but the benefits are just too great to ignore.

The first thing I recommend is splitting up your storage solution. In every build I've ever done, I've almost always recommended a two-storage drive system. The first and fastest of the two should be used as your main OS drive, and the second, usually slower, cheaper, and larger, being your media/games/back-up drive. Any valuable documents, assets, or big downloads live here.

What that allows you to do is keep all your games and important files on your D: drive, and then, whenever that re-install time comes a-calling, allow you to quickly flatten and re-install Windows on your C: drive.

If you've got slow internet or just can't be bothered to re-download everything, it is a huge time-saver doing it this way. You can get away with partitions, but it's far easier to accidentally delete the wrong one on your next Windows install.

Laptop, desktop; it doesn't matter, just give your hardware an OS break now and then. (Image credit: Sergey Kisselev / Behance.net / Microsoft)

It also helps really reduce program and document clutter and encourages good back-up practice too. If you know you're going to flatten a machine every 2-3 months, then the likelihood is you'll keep all of your important files and documents safely stored in the cloud, or off-site, backed up with solid authentication procedures as well.

You'll end up with a minimal desktop that's stupidly rapid, clean, up-to-date, and as error-free as Microsoft can muster. If you're building a new PC or transferring an old one to updated hardware, save yourself the hassle and just back up and move your most important files, download a fresh USB Windows Installer, and get cracking. I promise you it's worth it.

A new lease on (virtual) life

With that, and good internet education and practice, plus a solid VPN, you can then dump aftermarket antivirus as well and rely on good ol' Windows Defender. It's one of the best antivirus programs out there, and lacks the resource vampirism many third-party solutions have.

Worst-case scenario, you get tricked into opening a dodgy email or land on an odd website, and your machine gets whacked with some crypto-scam; just flatten it. Job done. Although again, I'd highly recommend just being a bit more internet savvy first.

The only thing I'd say if you do go this route, be careful on the device you do it on and prep accordingly. Some motherboards won't support ethernet or wireless connectivity without drivers too.

Grab your USB stick, get the Windows Installer setup on it, and then stick a folder in it called DRIVERS. Head to your motherboard's product page, grab the relevant drivers, then once you're finally on the desktop, you should be able to install all your chipsets and drivers and get that internet connectivity back, no sweat.

If you do get stuck on the "need to connect to the internet" Windows 11 install page, hit Shift + F10, click the command window, type OOBE\BYPASSNRO, and hit enter. The installer will reboot, and you'll now have the option to tell Microsoft you "don't have the internet" and continue with the installation regardless.

So yeah, PSA complete. I got 99 problems, and most of them are Microsoft-related. At least for about 20 minutes anyway.

This Dreame L10s Ultra robot vacuum and mop combo is now a massive $490 off, thanks to Amazon's Big Spring Sale. Act fast to grab it at its lowest price ever.

• Solidigm shows off purple-colored, liquid-cooled SSDs at GTC 2025
• The design put me in mind of its limited-edition Lego SSD made for #122Day
• The Solidigm D7-PS1010 E1.S for AI servers will launch in late 2025

For the reveal of its 122.88TB D5-P5336 SSD on #122Day (January 22nd), Solidigm created a custom, limited-edition Lego version of its high-capacity drive for journalists and customers to build.

That promotional product, timed to also coincide with International Lego Day on January 28, feels like a fitting prelude to what the company showed off at GTC 2025.

Although there was nothing toy-like about Solidigm’s compact rack of liquid-cooled NVMe SSDs on display, it had the same visual flair, with a funky purple color scheme and a 9.5mm form factor.

Eliminating air cooling entirely

The demo featured the Solidigm D7-PS1010 E1.S mounted in a dense mini rack setup. Although the SSDs were liquid-cooled it wasn't done in the traditional sense.

There’s no fluid flowing through the drives themselves. Instead, they rely on server-mounted cold plates that make contact with both sides of the SSD casing.

ServeTheHome explains, “Instead of bringing the liquid into the SSD, and having to deal with quick disconnects and potentially losing a drop or two of fluid with each change, the server has coldplates. Then the SSDs are inserted into these coldplates which then cover a face of the SSD’s case, thereby keeping it cool.”

Unrelated, but very relevant, is the fact Nvidia showed off Kyber-based NVL576 racks at GTC.

Expected to launch in the second half of 2027, these could draw up to 600kW, and Nvidia hinted that future racks could require full megawatts of power.

In that kind of environment, every component - including storage - will need to shed heat efficiently, something Solidigm’s solution achieves without the need for fans.

As well as eliminating air cooling entirely, it will cut HVAC costs and support hot-swappable eSSDs.

The fun purple housing and small-scale rack configuration certainly made the display stand out among more conventional server demos at the event, but this isn’t a consumer product.

Solidigm designed the D7-PS1010, with input from Nvidia, specifically for enterprise and AI workloads, and plans to offer it in two versions: a 9.5mm model with liquid-cooling support and a 15mm version for air-cooled systems.

Launch is targeted for the second half of 2025.

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• Galaxy Watch 8 firmware models have appeared
• New smartwatches could appear in July
• It's not clear what upgrades the new watch could have

Given how regularly Samsung launches new smartwatches, we were already expecting a successor to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 this year, but now there's some actual evidence of the Galaxy Watch 8 actually being in development.

Tipster @theordysm (via SamMobile) has spotted firmware versions for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, and as you would expect there are different model numbers for versions with extra cellular connection capabilities on board.

It also looks as though there are going to be two sizes of the flagship smartwatch again this year. The current model is available in both 40 mm and 44 mm sizes, so you can pick the one that best matches your wrist size.

And that's just about all the information we can glean from this particular leak – that the Galaxy Watch 8 is indeed on the way. We'll have to wait for further leaks to get details on the upgrades and any design changes that might be in store.

Classics and Ultras

No surprises here, we know they're coming, Samsung's prepping for themHere are the latest test firmware infoBT/WI-FI:SM-L320/L330 ("GW8"): U0AYC4SM-L500 ("GW8C"): U0AYC4LTE (US):SM-L325U/L335U ("GW8"): U0AYC6SM-L505U ("GW8C"): U0AYC6 pic.twitter.com/CA3HZoc52xMarch 29, 2025

This isn't quite the first Galaxy Watch 8 leak we've seen. Back in December, the device name "Galaxy Watch 8 Classic" was spotted in an industry database – suggesting a Classic model, with a rotating bezel, could make a return in 2025.

There was no Classic model in 2024, but we did get the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra alongside the Galaxy Watch 7. Samsung may well launch a Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 this year as well, but there's been no sign of it so far.

We've also seen a patent suggesting Samsung is working on a watch strap that's more adjustable and more secure than the one on the current models – though it's unlikely the upgrade would be ready for this year's watches.

If Samsung sticks to its schedule from last year in 2025, we can expect the Galaxy Watch 8 to show up sometime in July – most likely alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7, so there's the potential for another big Unpacked launch event.

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Keep your home clean without wiping out your wallet with these deals on cordless stick and robot vacuums from top-rated brands.

A new pair of durable and reliable earbuds could be yours for $115 off, thanks to this deal from Adorama.

This Lego classic brick set is perfect for anyone ages 4 and up. It's down to just $17 right now and is perfect for the entire family.

If you're a strict back or stomach sleeper looking for a supportive mattress, the DreamCloud mattress might be the right fit. We tested it, and here's everything you should know.

The M2 Mac Mini is now just $600, which is a staggering 50% off at Best Buy. But act fast, as this deal won't be around for long.

ChatGPT is rapidly changing how we write, how we work – and maybe even how we think. So it makes sense that it stirs up strong emotions and triggers an instinct to figure out what’s real and what’s not.

But on LinkedIn, the hunt for AI-generated content has gone full Voight-Kampff. According to some, there’s now a surefire way to spot ChatGPT use: the em dash.

Yes, the punctuation mark officially defined by the width of one “em.” A favorite of James Joyce, Stephen King, and Emily Dickinson. A piece of punctuation that’s been around since at least the 1830s. So why is it suddenly suspicious? Is it really an AI tell or punctuation paranoia?

Describe, in single words, only the good things you know about the em dash

Rebecca Harper, Head of Content Marketing at auditing compliance platform ISMS.online, doesn’t think so: “I find the idea that it’s some kind of AI tell ridiculous. If we start policing good grammar out of fear of AI, we’re only making human writing worse!”

She’s right. The em dash isn’t some fringe punctuation mark. Sure, it’s used less often than its siblings – the en dash and the humble hyphen – and it’s more common in the US than the UK. But that doesn’t make it automatically suspicious.

Robert Andrews, a Senior Editor, explains that this is a difference in style rather than a smoking gun: “It’s not just a marker of AI, but of US English and AP Style. It’s quite alien to UK journalism training and style, at least my own, albeit long ago. But increasingly encountered in AP Style environments - (or –, or —) unsurprising that this would flow into LLMs.”

I’m not getting into the weeds of when and why you’d use an em dash over a hyphen. It’s boring, and despite writing professionally for close to two decades, I’m not sure I even know. But I can vouch for the fact that I’ve written for plenty of US outlets where the em dash was simply house style – years before ChatGPT turned up.

And that’s likely why it’s become a so-called “tell.” The em dash is ChatGPT’s default dash. Probably because it was trained on mountains of US English content, where that style is totally normal.

Still, because it’s slightly less common in some circles, people have latched onto it as a tell. Chris McNabb, Chief Technology Officer at eGroup Communications, makes this case: “I think it's a strong indicator, especially when you see it being used often by one person. Typically most people aren't going to long press the dash key to even use the en dash BUT AI such as ChatGPT uses it by default in a lot of cases. So yes when you do see an em dash particularly more than one in a message it's a pretty safe bet for a majority of posts.”

So now, some people are actively scrubbing their em dashes to avoid suspicion. Editors, marketers, and content folks are switching them out for commas or full stops just to avoid being mistaken for a ChatGPT user.

Lauren Kennelly, Brand Services Director at brand agency Manifest Group has felt that pressure: “I had this chat with a colleague recently. Proper use of an em dash is not just grammatically correct, which is important in our industry, it's also part of our Manifest brand ID. But I've now programmed ChatGPT to drop it from anything I'm using to help me edit for fear of losing engagement or being judged for using AI.”

Capillary dilation of the dash response

So—is the em dash a tell? No. Well, maybe. But not in isolation. “It depends on the context,” says Will Moore, Manager of Communications and Brand Awareness at networking company Tailscale. “If it's from a writer or someone I know who cares deeply about well-written content, no. If my 12-year-old son uses them in his homework, it paints a different picture,” he tells me.

And that’s the real issue here, context. There are signs of AI-generated content. Especially the kind we often call AI slop. Like clunky syntax, emoji-stuffed bullet points, bizarre transitions, and overly chirpy marketing speak. But even those aren’t as reliable anymore.

Some say better AI detection tools are the answer. In theory, maybe. In reality? Not so much. I ran a completely human-written paragraph through one just before I wrote this article and it flagged it as “probably AI.” Unless this is the anticlimactic moment I discover I’m a replicant, the tools just aren’t good enough.

There have been efforts to watermark AI-generated content or embed metadata, but whether that’s technically feasible (or even a priority for the companies building these tools) remains to be seen.

What actually makes AI-generated content obvious, more often than not, is bad prompting. Rushed inputs lead to rushed outputs. But a thoughtful prompt, a decent edit, a personal touch? That’s much harder to detect.

So maybe we’re not flagging AI at all. Maybe we’re just flagging laziness. Because most people I know who use AI tools regularly aren’t handing over the entire process to ChatGPT. They’re using it for headlines, phrasing, and proofreading. It's helping them to do their work, not doing it for them.

But we live in a world of automation, productivity hacks, and hustle culture. So of course people use AI for everything, under the (sometimes false) belief that it saves time.

As a writer, I get the frustration. I’ll spend hours carefully crafting a piece, then watch something clearly half-baked and AI-churned rack up the views.

There’s also the elephant in the room: AI tools don’t come free. They carry a significant environmental cost and, depending on who you ask, a massive ethical one, too.

Still, the witch hunt is exhausting. And kind of pointless. Because even if someone has used AI if they’ve also put in the work – refined it, edited it, made it their own – you probably won’t be able to tell anyway.

I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe… like the em dash being cancelled

Maybe we’ll look back on this moment and laugh. Or cringe. Maybe the AI bubble will burst, and human-made content will feel valuable again. Or maybe AI will become so deeply embedded, so seamless, that trying to tell the difference will feel quaint.

Until then, let’s stop blaming punctuation. Because what we’re really afraid of isn’t the em dash. It’s the slow, creeping erosion of what’s real. And honestly? It’s painful to live in fear. Isn’t it?

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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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 30 (game #1161).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1162) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1162) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1162) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do 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 #1162) - 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 0.

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 #1162) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• R

• M

• W

• B

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

Quordle today (game #1162) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1162, are…

• RECUT
• MOODY
• WHERE
• BRACE

After a run of checking out after seven guesses, I hit a small bump in the road today but still got lucky and completed Quordle with a line to spare.

RECUT was very tricky as it wasn't the most obvious word from the letters I had available (but both truce and cruet were not possible) and it took me a while to realize there were no other possibilities.

Meanwhile, a huge slice of good fortune getting a word in two goes helped me beat my Daily Sequence hoodoo and return to winning ways.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1162) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1162, are…

• FLANK
• JUICE
• ALOOF
• THRUM

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1161, Sunday 30 March: CRIME, DRINK, CLOVE, TRUER
• Quordle #1160, Saturday 29 March: LATER, ODDLY, CUMIN, AGREE
• Quordle #1159, Friday 28 March: TERSE, MUSHY, PROVE, FROND
• Quordle #1158, Thursday 27 March: CRONE, APNEA, LIGHT, AWOKE
• Quordle #1157, Wednesday 26 March: LEFTY, NOOSE, NOISE, TRIAD
• Quordle #1156, Tuesday 25 March: SNEER, WATCH, FLORA, STAIN
• Quordle #1155, Monday 24 March: FLOUT, SMASH, RAZOR, SMALL
• Quordle #1154, Sunday 23 March: ALLEY, GAMUT, GEESE, RADII
• Quordle #1153, Saturday 22 March: PICKY, BRACE, BOOZE, SURLY
• Quordle #1152, Friday 21 March: DITTY, VALOR, TOWER, AMISS
• Quordle #1151, Thursday 20 March: RIPER, STILL, WAFER, NOTCH
• Quordle #1150, Wednesday 19 March: FLAME, CARAT, SPAWN, TUNIC
• Quordle #1149, Tuesday 18 March: NAVEL, TREAT, COPSE, SLINK
• Quordle #1148, Monday 17 March: INFER, FLINT, CHUMP, SHEER
• Quordle #1147, Sunday 16 March: INPUT, RUMBA, ELUDE, BLANK
• Quordle #1146, Saturday 15 March: SPEED, CLASH, RISKY, GRATE
• Quordle #1145, Friday 14 March: BELIE, SPEAR, GROWL, ADOBE
• Quordle #1144, Thursday 13 March: AMISS, METAL, TEARY, SHORT
• Quordle #1143, Wednesday 12 March: AWASH, PUSHY, RALPH, PROOF
• Quordle #1142, Tuesday 11 March: LINGO, JUICE, SHARP, REVEL

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, March 30 (game #658).

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 #659) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• FORE
• WORD
• DEPOSIT
• TOO
• PUT AWAY
• SCREEN
• ATE
• BALANCE
• BESIDES
• HORSE
• TRANSFER
• TO BOOT
• HAD
• AS WELL
• TOOK IN
• WITHDRAWAL

NYT Connections today (game #659) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Absorbed 
• GREEN: An addition
• BLUE: Banking
• PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “say”

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 #659) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: CONSUMED 
• GREEN: ALSO 
• BLUE: ATM OPTIONS
• PURPLE: __PLAY 

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

NYT Connections today (game #659) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #659, are…

• YELLOW: CONSUMED ATE, HAD, PUT AWAY, TOOK IN
• GREEN: ALSO AS WELL, BESIDES, TO BOOT, TOO
• BLUE: ATM OPTIONS BALANCE, DEPOSIT, TRANSFER, WITHDRAWAL
• PURPLE: __PLAY FORE, HORSE, SCREEN, WORD

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

After my worst ever Connections yesterday I was relieved to return to winning ways, but also experienced that rarest of pleasures (for me at least) of actually getting the purple group.

I wasn’t particularly thinking ATM OPTIONS, more just banking terminology, but I was happy to begin with the blue group – even if this seemed a very easy blue group.

Initially I was thinking the word “silver” was a link for SCREEN and HORSE (I’ve got a vague memory of silver horse being used to describe a motorcycle), before I realized _PLAY was the connecting word.

I should be feeling quite clever, but not seeing the yellow group at all suggests this run was down to luck rather than Connections skill.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 30 March, game #658)

• YELLOW: AVERAGE MEAN, NORM, PAR, STANDARD
• GREEN: PICTURED ON THE U.S. GREAT SEAL ARROWS, EAGLE, OLIVE BRANCH, SHIELD
• BLUE: PROPER NOUNS IN BROADWAY MUSICAL TITLES THAT ARE SPOKEN
• PHRASES BIRDIE, DOLLY, KATE, YANKEES
• PURPLE: __MAN BOGEY, CRAFTS, GENTLE, SPOKES

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, March 30 (game #392).

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 #393) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… That's an equine of a different shade!

NYT Strands today (game #393) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• LOSS
• LOSE
• LION
• RUNS
• BUSH
• HOOK

NYT Strands today (game #393) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 14 letters

NYT Strands today (game #393) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 5th column

Last side: bottom, 2nd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #393) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #393, are…

• ROAN
• DAPPLE
• BUCKSKIN
• CHESTNUT
• PALOMINO
• SPANGRAM: HORSE COLORINGS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 4 hints

Even with four hints I still struggled with today’s word search. I guess I have spent my entire life ignoring HORSE COLORINGS.

The only color I tapped out with confidence was CHESTNUT and this is only because Chestnut Mare by The Byrds is my fourth favorite song about horses. Give it a listen, it’s quite mad.

My top three, incidentally, are Crazy Horses by The Osmonds (for the giggles), the theme tune to the 1960s TV show White Horses (for the innocence of youth), and Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones (for the melancholy majesty).

Also, as previously discussed, Spangrams that begin in the center of the puzzle are an abomination and should be banned by the international puzzling authorities.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 30 March, game #392)

• BASS 
• ALTO
• SOPRANO
• TENOR
• TREBLE
• BARITONE
• MEZZO
• SPANGRAM: CHOIR PART

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.

Severance season 2 may be over (read my Severance season 2 ending explained piece and Severance season 3 hub for more details on where things may go next) but you won't want to cancel your Apple TV+ subscription just yet.

Indeed, there are plenty more fantastic TV shows to enjoy throughout April on one of the world's best streaming services. Okay, there aren't any new movies for the film buffs among you to be entertained on the platform. Apple's specialty is creating unmissable TV Originals, though, and it just so happens that you'll be well stocked on that front between now and April 30.

From new episodes of Apple's latest TV hit The Studio to brand-new offerings including Your Friends & Neighbors and Government Cheese, I'm certain you'll find something worth watching with the aid of this guide. So, read on to find your next favorite Apple TV+ series!

April 2

There aren't many episodes left of Berlin ER to enjoy (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Berlin ER episode 7
• The Studio episode 3

April 4

Dope Thief will be halfway through its episodic run in early April (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Dope Thief episode 5
• Surface season 2 episode 7

April 9

There'll be many new episodes of The Studio to enjoy throughout the month (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Berlin ER episode 8
• The Studio episode 4

April 11

The Surface season 2 finale airs in mid-April (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Dope Thief episode 6
• Surface season 2 episode 8
• Your Friends & Neighbors episodes 1 and 2

April 16

Government Cheese arrives with a four-episode premiere in mid-April (Image credit: Apple TV+)

• Government Cheese episodes 1 to 4
• The Studio episode 5

April 18

The third episode of Your Friends & Neighbors will be released on April 18 (Image credit: Apple TV+)

• Dope Thief episode 7
• Jane's Animal Adventures season 3 episodes 1 to 5
• Your Friends & Neighbors episode 3

April 23

Five episodes of The Studio down, five more to go! (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Government Cheese episode 5
• The Studio episode 6

April 25

Dope Thief's final episode will launch on Apple TV+ before April ends (Image credit: Apple TV+)

• Dope Thief episode 8
• Your Friends & Neighbors episode 4

April 30

Careme makes its streaming debut on the final day of April (Image credit: Apple TV+)

• Carême episodes 1 and 2
• Government Cheese episode 6
• The Studio episode 7

For more Apple TV+ coverage, read our guides on the best Apple TV+ movies, Ted Lasso season 4, Slow Horses season 5, and Foundation season 3.