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• AI tools are more popular than ever - but so are the security risks
• Top tools are being leveraged by cybercriminals with malicious intent
• Grok and Mixtral were both found being used by crimianls

New research has warned top AI tools are powering 'WormGPT' variants, malicious GenAI tools which are generating malicious code, social engineering attacks, and even providing hacking tutorials.

With Large Language Models (LLMs) now widely used alongside tools like Mistral AI’s Mixtral and xAI's Grok, experts from Cato CTRL found this isn't always in the way they’re intended to be used.

“The emergence of WormGPT spurred the development and promotion of other uncensored LLMs, indicating a growing market for such tools within cybercrime. FraudGPT (also known as FraudBot) quickly rose as a prominent alternative and advertised with a broader array of malicious capabilities,” the researchers noted.

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WormGPT

WormGPT is a broader name for ‘uncensored’ LLMs that are leveraged by threat actors, and the researchers identified different strains with different capabilities and purposes.

For example, keanu-WormGPT, an uncensored assistant was able to create phishing emails when prompted. When researchers dug further, the LLM disclosed it was powered by Grok, but the platform's security features had been circumnavigated.

After this was revealed, the creator then added prompt-based guardrails to ensure this information was not disclosed to users, but other WormGPT variants were found to be based on Mixtral AI, so legitimate LLMs are clearly being jailbroken and leveraged by hackers.

“Beyond malicious LLMs, the trend of threat actors attempting to jailbreak legitimate LLMs like ChatGPT and Google Bard / Gemini to circumvent their safety measures also gained traction," the researchers noted.

"Furthermore, there are indications that threat actors are actively recruiting AI experts to develop their own custom uncensored LLMs tailored to specific needs and attack vectors.“

Most in the cybersecurity field will be familiar with the idea that AI is ‘lowering the barriers of entry’ for cybercriminals, which can certainly be seen here.

If all it takes is asking a pre-existing chatbot a few well-phrased questions, then it’s pretty safe to assume that cybercrime might become a lot more common in the coming months and years.

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• MindsEye's disastrous launch has resulted in layoffs at developer Build A Rocket Boy
• Sources told IGN that layoffs are expected to affect over 100 employees
• Build A Rocket Boy has confirmed that the redundancy process has begun

Build A Rocket Boy has been hit with layoffs following MindsEye's disastrous launch.

The futuristic, single-player narrative game was released earlier this month for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, to an overwhelmingly poor reception.

From performance problems, bugs, and countless other technical issues, Mindseye's Steam page now sits at a 'Mostly Negative' rating with over 1840 user reviews, with Build A Rocket Boy promising fixes.

Now, two weeks after launch, sources tell IGN that the studio has begun the redundancy process amid the game's poor release, and layoffs are expected to affect over 100 employees.

An anonymous source told the publication that there's no word on how many people will be impacted, but that the standard 45-day consultation process started on June 23, which is triggered when an employer proposes 100 or more redundancies within 90 days in the UK.

It's understood that Build A Rocket Boy has roughly 300 UK employees currently working at the studio, and around 200 abroad.

"We can confirm that we have had to make the painful decision to notify our hardworking team of some internal changes at Build A Rocket Boy," the studio has now confirmed in a statement to IGN.

"While we are working to reassign roles for as many of those impacted by these changes as possible, sadly we are initiating a formal consultation process that may result in redundancies. This decision has not been made lightly, and we are committed to handling this process with transparency, fairness, and respect for all employees. We will provide further details to the team over the coming weeks."

"The launch of MindsEye has been a significant milestone for Build A Rocket Boy, but we know that we still have a lot more to do to grow our community in the coming years. The challenges we’ve faced have only strengthened our resolve and, while we are deeply saddened by today’s decision and thankful to our incredible team, this shift allows us to focus on delivering ongoing updates and performance optimization for MindsEye, while also ensuring the long-term success of Build A Rocket Boy’s future ambitions."

The studio has previously confirmed that it has post-launch plans "already in motion" for the game and that players can expect more updates and refinements "coming shortly after release".

It also said it had plans to support the game for years, but hasn't revealed its roadmap just yet.

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• The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date, but its improvements are astronomical
• I’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgrade
• 'I don't even know if I wanna play anymore' - Pokémon player left devastated after Nintendo Switch 2 system transfer lost over 1,000 hours of gameplay and 20 years of data

• Pre-owned Switch 2 consoles that have been modded are reportedly being bricked by Nintendo's anti-piracy policy
• Redditor Bimmytung says they bought a second-hand console from Walmart, only to discover that the Switch 2 is permanently offline
• Nintendo has been blocking access to online services on the console if players have modded the console using the MIG Flash tool

If you're thinking about purchasing a second-hand Nintendo Switch 2, you may want to think twice, as Nintendo's anti-piracy policy has reportedly left some consoles permanently offline.

As IGN reports, Redditor Bimmytung shared a post explaining how they bought a pre-owned Switch 2 from Walmart, only to find that it had been 'bricked' by Nintendo after booting it up.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Nintendo had been blocking access to online services on the console if players had used MIG Flash, a tool used to allow players to backup copies of games.

Before the Switch 2 launched, Nintendo suggested in its user agreement that it had the power to 'brick' devices that are modded.

"Nintendo may render the Nintendo Account Services and/or the applicable Nintendo device permanently unusable in whole or in part", it reads.

Those affected will be presented with error code "2124-4508," which will permanently block players from accessing online services, which is exactly what Redditor Bimmytung has experienced.

Found one. Didn't end well. from r/switch2

"Been casually looking for a Switch 2. Today I was driving between work sites and stopped at two different Walmarts. At the second one I find a Mario Kart edition sitting in the case and couldn't believe my luck," Bimmytung said.

"Physically it's fine, everything seems there. Notice that the Mario Kart code is scratched off. Hmm. Naturally wonder if the original buyer redeemed the code and returned the system. They knocked $50 off the price so I figured I'd roll the dice and at least have the hardware. Bought a Pro Controller 2 while I was at it.

The Redditor continued, saying, "Get home and go to finish the setup - quickly get Error Code 2124-4508. A quick Google search shows me I'm screwed. FML. Thankfully my local Walmart accepted the return without any fuss but still... I wish nothing but enthusiastic double gonorrhea to the lowlife scum that did this."

Users with a 'bricked' Switch 2 would essentially be unable to access any multiplayer games like Mario Kart World, the eShop, Game Chat, and more.

Thankfully, stores like Walmart can accept refunds, but if you were to buy a second-hand console from eBay without knowing if it had been modded, you're out of luck.

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The NHTSA says it's aware of videos posted online purportedly showing self-driving Tesla vehicles going awry.

It's been five breakneck years since Apple unveiled Apple silicon during its first virtual WWDC keynote amid a global pandemic. Even without the visceral on-stage moment of CEO Tim Cook emerging from the shadows to unveil a huge helping of Apple platform excitement, this was momentous.

As I wrote back then:

"One world, one universe, one platform, unification. Apple’s momentous Worldwide Developer’s Conference keynote just painted a picture of a world in which the walls come down and, from the silicon underneath to the pixels in front of your face, Apple’s ecosystem becomes one."

What Apple Silicon will bring to the Mac. #WWDC20 #WWDC2020 pic.twitter.com/oqJ4MtG8zVJune 22, 2020

Apple switching hardware platforms was not unheard of – after all, only 14 years earlier, it had migrated its systems from IBM and Motorola's PowerPC to Intel.

This time, though, was different. Like an 'A' student preparing for finals, Apple was deeply prepped for this new transition. It used XCode to rewrite all its first-party apps, and worked with major partners like Microsoft and Adobe to ensure that core third-party apps were able to run on the revolutionary new hardware. There was even a Developers Transition Kit ready to go for app partners.

Rosetta 2, a software compatibility layer, was also released, promising to ease the transition for non-Arm-ready apps.

Silicon promise

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)

Back then, I was well aware of the potential benefits of a five-nanometer, power-saving platform. It was the holy grail of mobile computing, one that Microsoft had already approached, though less successfully, with Windows on Arm in the Surface X Pro, which ran on the SQ2 chip.

Apple silicon would transform MacBooks from decent battery performers to 17-hour marathoners. I had my concerns about the integrated graphics, but also knew that graphics performance on Apple's bespoke A-series chips on the iPhone and iPad was always stellar, so I also had reason for hope.

I saw the potential, writing, "What Apple’s doing is switching all its systems from running on a variety of fuels, like wind, solar, and gas, to just one that might arguably be described as rocket fuel."

And yet, I had no intention of switching from Windows to Mac.

I had my reasons

It's not that I was unfamiliar with the Mac. I'd used the OG Macintosh in the 1980s but switched for good to Windows when I joined PCMag in the early 1990s.

Windows was for me like an old but beloved car. It could be clunky and even sometimes break down in the middle of the road, but I knew every control and contour. It molded to me, and I, a bit, to it. I knew its foibles, but also knew how to work around them. That no Windows laptop could ever give me more than five hours of battery life (on a good day) was something I accepted, along with the fact that I felt like the blue screen of death was always lurking around some unforeseen corner.

Barely five months after the announcement, and developers got their hands on the transition kit, which, among other things, helped them build Universal apps for all systems running Apple silicon. I reviewed the first Apple MacBook Air with the M1 chip. I called it "an astonishing breakthrough."

Benchmarks made a mockery of even Intel Core i7 systems, especially in the area of integrated graphics. Battery life was incredible, ranging between 15 and 20 hours. I knew, intuitively, that such a system could transform my life.

Even so, the idea of switching from Windows to macOS (the operating system Macs run) was daunting. I think I worried that, with time, I might discover that most of my key apps didn't work on Apple silicon or that Apple wouldn't meet its two-year deadline of fully transitioning away from Intel, and that it might even abandon the project altogether and return to Intel.

I needn't have worried. By 2023, even the Mac Pro had switched to an M2 Ultra. I was impressed with Apple's innovative approach to producing ever more powerful Apple silicon chips, often by clustering them together (the M2 Ultra really is two M2 Max chips). What's more, I never found an app that wouldn't run on Apple silicon.

Making the change and what might have been

The first time I touched a MacBook Air M2, until I started using it permanently. (Image credit: Future)

Three years into the Apple silicon journey, I switched to the M2 MacBook Air and documented the effort in a journal. There were some struggles, but almost all of them revolved around long-standing differences between macOS and Windows. I was forced to learn many new keyboard commands and shortcuts.

Two weeks into my journey, I wrote:

"Becoming second nature to use the Mac. Will I ever go back?"

Spoiler alert: I never did.

If Apple had failed to deliver on the Apple silicon promise it made on June 22, 2020, this would've been a different story (one that might more closely resemble Apple Intelligence). The fact that it made the effort early on to make the hard stuff look easy (supporting all those apps, making different platform apps work on different systems, making it rock-solid stable, and providing industry-leading efficiency) put the wind at Apple silicon's back. Apple showed immediate commitment by unveiling the MacBook Air M1, along with an iMac and a Mac Mini in those first six months.

Apple has never looked back and continues to build and innovate on the Apple silicon platform to deliver more powerful mobile CPUs. It's only in the last year or so that, with the help of Qualcomm, the Windows world has started to catch up, nearly matching Apple silicon in performance, efficiency, and stability.

Apple silicon changed the computing world, but it also changed me. I walked away from a platform I loved (and still have affection for) and have not looked back. Apple's market share has grown on the back of Apple silicon, and, and least in that Mac space, I think the best is yet to come.

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Presidents have been known to use salty language behind closed doors. But President Trump may be the first to very deliberately drop an f-bomb on camera.

(Image credit: Mandel Ngan)

The accusations from a veteran government lawyer add to broader concern about the Trump administration's repeated clashes with the judiciary.

(Image credit: Roberto Schmidt)

• Vera C. Rubin Observatory has released its first full-resolution image
• It was captured using an ultra-powerful 3,200-megapixel digital camera
• The telescope will scan the sky for dark matter, asteroids, and Planet Nine

The world’s most powerful digital camera has taken its first photos, and they reveal the cosmos in stunning detail. Shared as part of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s ‘First Look’ campaign, the composite image captures a panoramic view of the Trifid and Lagoon nebulae – a region where new stars are being formed.

The stills come from the largest digital camera ever made. With a resolution of 3,200MP, it’s the central component of the telescope at the Rubin Observatory in Chile. By capturing a scene some 4-5,000 light years from Earth, the images offer a spectacular glimpse of the star-making machinery of our universe.

The full-size image, which you can download here, is made up of 678 individual exposures, measuring around five gigapixels in total. A closer look reveals stellar clouds of dust and gas in breathtaking color and detail. More impressive than the scale, though, is how quickly the observatory produced the image: it took just 7.2 hours.

That makes the Rubin unique among space telescopes. By working fast and covering an ultra-wide field of view in each frame, it’s able to map large areas in a short amount of time. The results are as scientifically valuable as they are beautiful. By revealing regions of the universe in new depth, they allow researchers to advance their understanding of our cosmic surroundings.

All eyes to the sky

Vera C. Rubin Observatory telescope pictured during the First Look observing campaign. (Image credit: RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/T. Matsopoulos)

These early images mark the start of a new era in astronomy. The Rubin Observatory is about to begin the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), a ten-year mission to map the night sky in unprecedented detail. It’s a project which could fundamentally change our understanding of the universe – not just because of what it reveals, but because of how often.

Unlike traditional observatories which target narrow slices of space, the Rubin telescope is designed to scan the entire Southern Hemisphere sky every three nights. The dome repositions quickly to cover the heavens, capturing images more than once a minute for around ten hours. This regular cadence will allow astronomers to detect changes more readily.

The observatory is situated atop Cerro Pachón, a mountain peak in northern Chile. The remote location, high altitude and dry climate create near perfect conditions for astronomy: the thinner air and lack of light pollution allow the telescope to take advantage of clearer, darker night skies. That gives the Rubin Observatory a wide observational window.

During its testing phase, it detected more than 2,000 previously unknown asteroids in just 10 hours, highlighting the telescope’s potential as an early-warning system for our planet.

The observatory is also expected to play a leading role in the hunt for the hypothetical Planet Nine, a massive celestial body which some scientists believe to be hiding on the distant edge of our solar system. Its powerful optics and sweeping reach make the Rubin telescope the perfect tool for spotting what's lurking beyond Pluto’s orbit.

But perhaps Rubin’s most ambitious goal relates to what can’t be seen. By capturing data from countless galaxies, the observatory will help researchers to build a better picture of the invisible dark matter that makes up most of the universe – and the mysterious dark energy that’s causing its expansion.

Key to the mission is the camera itself, which is the largest ever installed on a telescope. The size of a small car, it captures a portion of the sky equivalent to 45 full moons in a single shot.

Over the course of its survey, Rubin is expected to generate more than 60 petabytes of data. It will be up to the world’s scientific community to analyze the results and decipher their secrets.

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• Canadian telecom firms have been hit with a cyberattack
• Chinese threat actor Salt Typhoon is suspected to be behind the attacks
• Hackers exploited an existing Cisco flaw to gain access

The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, alongside the FBI, have confirmed hackers were able to gain access to three network devices registered to a Canadian Telecommunications company.

“The Cyber Centre is aware of malicious cyber activities currently targeting Canadian telecommunications companies. The responsible actors are almost certainly PRC state-sponsored actors, specifically Salt Typhoon,” The Canadian Centre for Cybersecurity said in a statement.

This isn’t unfamiliar territory for Salt Typhoon, as the group compromised at least eight US telco giants earlier in 2025, with the hackers allegedly having access to these networks for months in a mass surveillance campaign affecting dozens of countries and targeting several high-level officials.

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A long running campaign

The hackers, apparently exploited a high severity Cisco flaw, tracked as CVE-2023-20198 to gain access, allowing them to retrieve running configuration files from the compromised devices, which were then modified in order to create a GRE tunnel, enabling traffic collection from the network the devices were connected to.

A patch for this flaw has been available since October 2023, which indicates a serious security oversight in Canadian Telecom cybersecurity.

The threat actors most likely targeted these devices in order to ‘collect information from the victim’s internal network, or use the victim’s device to enable the compromise of further victims,’ which could explain how Salt Typhoon has been so successful in compromising large organizations.

“While our understanding of this activity continues to evolve, we assess that PRC cyber actors will almost certainly continue to target Canadian organizations as part of this espionage campaign, including telecommunications service providers and their clients, over the next two years,” the statement confirms.

Telecommunication companies are a high-priority for threat actors as they store large amounts of customer data and have useful intelligence value for cyber-espionage campaigns.

Via: ArsTechnica

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Corsair Platform:4: Two-minute review

I’ve always had one big complaint about many of the best gaming desks: namely, the fact that they’re all so big. It seems that most brands assume that if you’re willing to splash out for a premium product, it means that you’re likely to have a lot of room to put it in. That leaves those of us with smaller gaming setups and no room for the likes of the Secretlab Magnus or Cooler Master GD160 ARGB in a bit of an awkward spot.

Enter Corsair, with the Corsair Platform:4. The smaller sibling of the gargantuan Corsair Platform:6, the Platform:4 has a desktop that comes in at a comparatively tiny 40 x 30 inches / 120 x 76 cm. It easily fits in the small corner where I keep my desk and, despite the smaller size, doesn't skimp on build quality and is absolutely overflowing with features.

It comes in three attractive colorways: a sleek Black with a laminate desk surface or, if you’re willing to pay more for the more premium wood variant, Light Pine Stain or Dark Walnut Stain options. As someone with mostly white PC peripherals, a blue gaming chair, and light color walls, the Light Pine Stain matches my setup perfectly and is a refreshing departure from the darker aesthetics of most gaming desks.

The desk comes bundled with a modular T-channel metal rail system that is mounted across the top of the desk and supports the mounting of accessories like microphones and storage cubbies. You also get a VESA monitor arm, which attaches to the rail and frees up some room on the desktop that would otherwise be occupied by your monitor stand - definitely appreciated when you’re working with limited space.

(Image credit: Future)

Considering the high price of the Corsair Platform:4, you’re paying a hefty premium for this rail system, though, so make sure that it’s something that you’re actually going to use before making your purchase. The desk is fully functional without it attached, but there are significantly cheaper options out there (especially if you expand your search to some of the best office desks) if you don’t like using monitor arms.

Placing a monitor directly on the desk will also block access to the built-in storage cubby. It’s a little small, with only room for a few small accessories or knick-knacks, but it does have handy integrated USB ports for charging your devices. Under the desk, you can mount a cable management tray, which is fantastic for keeping things tidy or storing little accessories. There’s ample space in it, which is ideal for holding power bricks or stashing extra cables that you don’t want to lose.

I tested the more expensive Elevate version of the Corsair Platform:4, which comes with motorised adjustable legs. I appreciate how the control panel can be mounted on either side of the desktop, but raising and lowering the desk can be a tad fiddly. It feels just a little unresponsive, and sometimes comes to a stop without warning. This isn’t too unusual for electric standing desks, which tend to move very cautiously to avoid trapping cables (or worse, limbs) in their mechanisms, but is still worth bearing in mind.

Even so, it’s easy to recommend the Corsair Platform:4 if you have the budget. It's small, stylish, constructed from quality materials, and doesn't skimp on features.

Corsair Platform:4: Price and availability

• Corsair Platform:4 starts at $699.99 / £799.99 / around AU$1,600
• Corsair Platform:4 Elevate starts at $899.99 / £999.99 / around AU$2,000
• On the premium end of the market

There's no getting around the fact that the Corsair Platform:4 is an expensive gaming desk. It starts at $699.99 / £799.99 for the basic Black laminate version. The wooden variant is then $799.99 / £899.99 and comes in either Light Pine Stain or Dark Walnut Stain.

The Corsair Platform:4 Elevate, the standing desk version, is more expensive still, starting at $899.99 / £999.99 for the Black Laminate or $999.99 / £1009.99 for wood.

This puts it right at the top of the premium end of the market and makes the wooden version even more expensive than the likes of the $949 / £829 Secretlab Magnus Pro XL, which is a considerably larger desk but offers a similar adjustment mechanism and plenty of accessories.

When there are many cheaper standing desk options out there, like the $340 / £360 / AU$420 Flexispot E7, this is only one to consider if you have a hefty budget and want unique features like the rail system.

Corsair Platform:4: Specs

Price

$699.99 / £799.99 or $899.99 / £999.99 (Elevate)

Height

29in / 74cm (up to 48in / 122cm Elevate)

Load capacity

330lbs / 150kg

Material

Steel, laminate / birchwood

Dimensions (with D-board)

29in / 74cm x 47in / 120cm x 30in / 76cm

Noise level

~50db

Corsair Platform:4: Design and features

• Lengthy assembly
• Looks and feels premium
• Plenty of customization

Given the inclusion of the rail system and many accessories, the assembly of the Corsair Platform:4 took a fair chunk longer than I’m used to. It comes well-packaged in just one massive box, with everything clearly labelled, but the added parts of the rail system and monitor arm will add on time, even for experienced gaming furniture assemblers like me.

I also had to rely on an extra pair of hands for some key steps, namely flipping the desk once the legs had been attached. With the thick wooden desktop and solid steel legs, this is a particularly heavy desk, and for safety, I would not recommend attempting to lift it solo.

I was disappointed to find that my Corsair Platform:4 also didn’t include any printed instructions. You can find a manual on the Corsair website, though it doubles as the instruction manual for the Corsair Platform:6 as well. They’re very similar products, but it does still mean that certain steps don’t apply to the Corsair Platform:4.

To give you an example, one asked me to locate some text on each leg that tells which side they need to be mounted. I looked all over for these for about 15 minutes before an internet search eventually revealed that only the Corsair Platform:6 seems to have these labels. This isn’t the end of the world, but it stings at such a high price point. If I’m paying close to $1,000 / £1,000 for a desk, clear instructions are a bare minimum.

With everything built, it’s easy to forget all this as you appreciate the meticulous quality of everything here. The legs are like steel tree trunks, with massive bases that effectively anchor it to your floor and keep wobble to an absolute minimum. The desktop, in my case, wooden, is thick and smooth with a lovely pattern and even a subtly embossed Corsair logo in one corner.

The desk cubby is small, but quite handy thanks to its USB charging capabilities. I use mine to store my PC webcam and a few other small accessories, which would otherwise be left littered around my desk, and occasionally plug my phone or DualSense Wireless Controller in using the ports down there for a bit more juice.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

The rail system is a bit bigger than I was expecting, but still surprisingly useful. I’ve never been a huge fan of VESA monitor arms, mainly because they’re tricky to secure properly to your desk and tend to add lots of awkward adjustments, but the one included here is rock solid.

I use a dinky 23.8-inch Lenovo monitor, much to my colleague Rob’s amusement, and it holds in place securely. Even an ultrawide model should also pose no issue according to Corsair, though bear in mind that the arm has a 27lbs / 12.2kg weight limit.

The monitor arm can be mounted at any point along the rail, which opens up loads of customization possibilities. As I only use one display, I have mine mounted in the middle at eye-level, but those with dual monitor setups could easily slide the mounted monitor off to one side or raise the arm to give it some extra vertical height.

If you’re looking for some more ways to use the rail, you also get a small plastic tray that can be mounted to it in the box. I didn’t use this, but it could be handy if you want to really maximise your storage space.

The Corsair Platform:4 is compatible with a wide range of modular accessories, too, with options to mount everything from microphones, webcams, studio lighting, a pegboard, and more. None of these are particularly cheap, but the rail will also fit standard t-nuts, so you can basically bolt whatever you want to it if you’re handy enough.

If you’re particularly DIY minded or a content creator willing to invest in creating the perfect setup, this alone could make splashing out for the Corsair Platform:4 worthwhile.

As I previously mentioned, I tested the Corsair Platform:4 Elevate - which comes with an electric height mechanism. You can save two presets or adjust the height on the fly between 29 - 48 inches / 74cm to 122cm. A handy LCD display alerts you to your current height and makes it easier to save exact presets.

(Image credit: Future)Corsair Platform:4: Performance

• Loads of cable management options
• Rail system works well
• Nice and compact size, friendly for smaller setups

I can’t complain about the performance of the Corsair Platform:4, as it’s exceptional across the board. Despite the compact overall size, the thick legs make this one of the most stable desks that I’ve ever tested, and the combination of metal and wood lends everything a luxurious feel. There are plastic elements here, but they’re kept to a tasteful minimum, so the whole thing looks absolutely fantastic and befitting of the price.

Even the rail system works brilliantly, holding my monitor in place very securely. Having the monitor mounted means that there’s much more space for my PC peripherals and my usual assortment of scattered documents, testing samples, and so on. This might be a small desk, but it punches well above its weight when it comes to just how much you can cram on it.

I absolutely despise cable management, especially given how much I have to plug in and out of my PC on a regular basis. Seriously, just try swapping between four different gaming microphones in a week without it quickly becoming a complete mess. I could still appreciate the wire management tray, though, which kept the most important cables firmly in one place.

(Image credit: Future)

Given the focus on accessories here, you do get a lot of spare bolts and tools that you will likely want to hang on to for upgrades down the line. I found that these all easily fit neatly into the wire management tray in one small box, which should hopefully reduce the chance of losing them.

The built-in storage cubby is also a practical addition, with a modest but still useful amount of space. You can also use it to run cables up to your desktop, with multiple slots for them to go in and out.

Although I mainly use my desk seated at a static height, I nevertheless also endeavoured to test the standing functionality of the Corsair Platform:4 Elevate frequently. Raising and lowering the desk is relatively quiet, but it does occasionally stop in the process. A quick tap of the button gets things moving again, but I could see this becoming frustrating if you intend to swap between standing and sitting throughout the day.

(Image credit: Future)Should you buy the Corsair Platform:4?Buy it if...

You want a premium gaming desk, but don’t have much space
There are few high-end gaming desks that are comparable in size to the Corsair Platform:4. If you’re willing to spend a lot but don’t have the room for something massive, it’s definitely worth picking up.

You’re sick of boring designs
While most gaming desks are a boring black or dark brown, the Corsair Platform:4 also comes in a charming Light Pine Stain. With its white legs and rail, it looks stunning if you have a more colorful setup.

You’re a content creator
The innovative rail system of the Corsair Platform:4 is perfect for content creators, with the ability to fit everything from your monitor to a microphone arm, studio lighting, and even your webcam.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You don’t want the rail
The rail system here is very useful and goes a long way to justifying the desk’s high price, but if you don’t intend to use it, you are undeniably better off with cheaper alternatives.View Deal

Also consider

Not keen on the Corsair Platform:4? Here’s one cheaper standing desk to consider and a larger, but similarly premium, gaming desk option.

Corsair Platform:4

Flexispot E7

Secretlab Magnus Pro

Price

$699.99 / £799.99 / around AU$1,600 or $899.99 / £999.99 (Elevate) / around AU$2,000

$340 / £360 / AU$420

$799 / £770

Height

29in / 74cm (up to 48in / 122cm Elevate)

22.8-48.4in / 58-123cm

25.6-49.2in / 65-125cm

Load capacity

330 lbs / 150kg

275lbs / 125kg

264.6lbs / 120kg

Material

Steel, laminate / birchwood

Steel

Steel, wood fiberboard

Dimensions

29in / 74cm x 47in / 120cm x 30in / 76cm

43.3-74.8 x 26.7 x 22.8-48.4in / 110-190 x 68 x 58-123cm

59.1 x 27.6 x 25.6-49.2in / 150 x 70 x 65-125cm

Noise level

~50db

N/A

N/A

Also consider the Flexispot E7
If you want something similar to the Corsair Platform:4 that doesn’t break the bank, consider the Flexispot E7. It’s not a gaming desk, but it still performs excellently and comes in a wide range of color options.

For more information, check out our full Flexispot E7 reviewView Deal

Also consider the Secretlab Magnus Pro
If you have the space for something larger, then the Secretlab Magnus Pro should be on your radar. It’s a bit cheaper than the Corsair Platform:4, but it still boasts a lot of features that make it fantastic for gaming.

For more information, check out our full Secretlab Magnus Pro reviewView Deal

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Corsair Platform:4

• Used as my main desk
• Tested over multiple weeks
• Extensive work and play

I used the Corsair Platform:4 as my main desk for well over a month. In that time, I played a huge variety of games on both my gaming PC and Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S while sitting at it. I was careful to use lots of the desk’s features, including its rail system, and experiment with the included accessories. I also worked from the desk daily, spending multiple hours sitting at it at a time.

Throughout my time with the Corsair: Platform 4, I compared my experience to my hands-on testing of other desks and other gaming furniture items.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed June 2025

• Skullcandy has announced the first-ever gaming headset to feature its patented Crusher multi-sensory bass technology
• The Crusher PLYR 720 is made for multiplatform gaming
• It's available right now for $259.99

Skullcandy has unveiled the Crusher PLYR 720, its first multiplatform gaming headset, and it's available right now.

The Crusher PLYR 720 is the first-ever gaming headset to feature the company's patented Crusher multi-sensory bass technology and an open-back design, which is intended for a more immersive experience.

Alongside the multi-sensory bass, the headset will also offer THX Spatial Audio for console and mobile gamers, open-back acoustics, audio control via the Skull-HQ app, and advanced positional tuning for a "realistic, expansive soundstage," which results in a heightened level of hearing and sensation for gamers.

"This isn’t just immersive - it’s 4D gaming," said Justin Regan, vice president of marketing at Skullcandy. "This is a winning combination of features, advanced app customization, and crisp audio."

The headset's bass drivers fire sound directly into the user's ears - not just around them like other haptic headphones on the market - which delivers a "more natural, visceral sound you can truly feel."

"Crusher PLYR 720 users become immersed in a more realistic game experience with THX Spatial Audio," said Mike Henein, director of product development, THX Ltd. "THX Spatial Audio brings the precision and pinpoint accuracy of advanced audio positioning that allows gamers to more accurately locate sneaking enemies, avoid whizzing bullets, and gain early detection of nearby threats.

"Plus, the thrill of hearing the immersive environment also elevates emotional realism. Stay mentally sharp, survive longer, and improve your score with Crusher PLYR 720 by toggling on THX Spatial Audio."

Skullcandy's new headset also features a Clear Voice Smart Mic, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, and up to 48 hours of battery life.

The Crusher PLYR 720 comes in two models. The first is a wireless, multi-platform headset for PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile, plus wired Xbox support. The other is specifically designed for Xbox, which offers wireless play on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, PC, and mobile.

Nintendo Switch 2 support hasn't been confirmed officially yet, but we're hopefuly it'll work with the new console right out of the box too.

Both models are now available exclusively at Skullcandy and Amazon for $259.99.

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Amazon offers one way to avoid commercials: a $3 per month fee.

Philips Hue Dimmer Switch: two-minute reviewTechRadar Smart Home Week

This article is part of TechRadar's Smart Home Week 2025. From lighting and switches to robot vacuums and smart thermostats, we're here to help you pick the right devices to make your life easier, and get the most out of them.

The main function of the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch, as its name suggests, is to adjust the brightness of your Philips Hue lights without the need to use a mobile app or smart speaker command. However, it can also do a lot more thanks to its customizable buttons (particularly those above and below the main dimmer control).

It's not quite as flexible as the Philips Hue Tap Dial Switch, but it puts scenes and time-based controls at your fingertips, and is one of the best smart switches for your home lighting setup.

Setting up the switch is a piece of cake. Like almost all Philips Hue accessories, it has a QR code printed on the back, which you scan using the Hue app to identify the device. You'll then be instructed to hold the top button for three seconds until the status light on the switch blinks orange, and within a few moments the switch will be added to your home.

Once that's done, you'll be asked which lights you want the remote to control. Signify (the company behind Philips Hue) recently added a new feature that prompts you to create a room or zone when adding an accessory if you haven't done so already, which prevents an issue where some users found themselves unable to use all of the switch or sensor's features later on.

Image 1 of 2

Scan the QR code on the back of the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch to add it to the app (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

Once the Dimmer Switch is assigned to a light, a zone, or a room, you can configure what each of its buttons does (Image credit: Future)

With that done, it's time to configure the buttons. The brighten/dim controls can really only be used for that purpose, which is what differentiates the Dimmer Switch from the Tap Dial. However, you have a lot more choice when it comes to the top 'power' button and the 'Hue' button at the bottom.

As standard, the top button lets you turn your selected lights on or off, but you can choose different settings depending on the time of day. For example, you might want your lights to turn on fully during the day, but have them come on at a lower brightness level at night to avoid jarring you or your partner awake.

(Image credit: Future)

The bottom button cycles through a set of scenes. The default option includes a selection of different light temperature and brightness settings, but you can choose any scenes you like – either presets from the gallery, or custom-made. You can also decide the order in which your favorites should appear as you tap the Hue button to scroll through them.

It's all very simple to configure, and once it's set up, all members of your household will be able to access use and settings with a familiar physical control. Smart lighting just got a lot more accessible.

The Dimmer Switch is lightweight and comfortable to hold, with buttons that give a pleasingly tactile click when pressed (Image credit: Future)Philips Hue Dimmer Switch: price and availability

• One of the cheaper Philips Hue smart switches
• Available globally from Philips Hue and third-party retailers
• Often sold at a discount or as part of a bundle

The Philips Hue Dimmer Switch is widely available, and can be bought direct from the Philips Hue store, or from third-party retailers.

The Dimmer Switch is one of the cheaper controllers in the Philips Hue range, with a list price of $27.99 / £19.99 / AU$39.95. For comparison. the Philips Hue Smart Button (which can perform just one function when pressed and another when held) costs $32.99 / £19.99 / AU$49.95, and the four-button Philips Hue Tap Switch Mini is $49.99 / £44.99 / AU$79.95.

The Dimmer Switch is often available at a discount, and is frequently included in bundles with the Philips Hue Bridge and a selection of smart light bulbs. You'll find all of today's best offers below.

Philips Hue Dimmer Switch: design

• Can be used as a remote or mounted on a wall
• Lightweight and comfortable to hold
• Can be mounted with screws or no-drill options
• Only available in white

The Philips Hue Dimmer Switch is a lightweight rectangular device that can be used as a handheld remote, or attached to a backing plate for use like a regular light switch. It's held on the plate with a magnet, so you can easily remove it if you want to control your lights from your sofa.

The plate offers a choice of mounting options: there are holes in the back so you can attach it to the wall using screws (not supplied), it has two strips of strong 3M tape so you can stick it up in seconds, and it's magnetic if you want to attach it to your fridge (for example). I used the adhesive tape to attach it to the wall near my blinds and it didn't budge, even when knocked.

Image 1 of 2

The 3M tape strips hold the switch firmly in place (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

You can also attach the switch's backing plate to a wall using screws (Image credit: Future)

The buttons have a pleasing click when pressed, and the handheld device weighs just 70g, including the button cell battery that's preinstalled.

My only criticism of the design, and it's a small one, is that the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch is only available in white. Many other Philips Hue accessories are also available in black, so it's a shame not to have that as an option.

Philips Hue Dimmer Switch: also consider

Philips Hue Tap Dial Switch

If you want more flexibility, this circular switch offers four programmable buttons, plus a customizable dial that you can use to dim your lights, or adjust their color. Like the Dimmer Switch, it can be wall-mounted or used as a handheld remote control.

Read our full Philips Hue Tap Dial Switch review

Philips Hue Smart Button

Smart lighting controls don't come much simpler than this: a single customizable switch that can perform your favorite function with a press. The most obvious use is to switch your lights on and off, but why not get creative in the app? Note that Signify has recently redesigned the Smart Button, making it larger and more angular, but retaining the same functions as the original model.

Read our full Philips Hue Smart Button review

Should you buy the Philips Hue Dimmer SwitchBuy it if

You live in a household with others
If your family or housemates aren't quite as tech-savvy as you, this switch will let them use your Hue setup's different lighting settings with a familiar physical control.

You don't want to replace your existing switches
Some smart switches (such as the TP-Link Tapo Smart Switch) are designed to be hard-wired into your home. This has its advantages, but the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch gives you a lot more options when it comes to placement, and there's no DIY necessary.

Don't buy it if

You only want to turn your lights on and off

The Philips Hue Smart Button is a simpler option if you don't need four customizable controls, and can often be found for a lower price than the Dimmer Switch.

You're on a tight budget

This is relatively cheap for a Philips Hue accessory, but if you really want to keep costs down then you can pick up a simple Zigbee smart switch that will work with your lights (though it won't be as customizable).

How I tested the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch

I connected the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch to the smart lights in my living room, and mounted it on a painted wall using the 3M tape provided. I experimented with different options for controlling my ceiling and entertainment lighting within the Philips Hue app, assigning various functions to the switch's buttons. My partner, who isn't familiar with the Hue app, also used the switch to control the lights and shift between different lighting scenes.

First reviewed June 2025

As a business founder in the tech space I am spending increasing amounts of time thinking about AI and its impact. Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the beginning of the end of humanity? Or is it our savior?

The truth almost certainly lies somewhere in the middle, but that said, I believe there are very clear reasons why businesses really should be worried about AI.

Amara’s Law

Amara’s Law states that the impact of technologies is overestimated in the short term but underestimated in the long term. Driverless cars, which have been coming out next year every year since 2016, is an example of overestimation.

Artificial neural networks, the key technology behind almost all AI systems you’ve heard of, might be good at playing Breakout and even predicting how proteins fold, but it cannot (yet) cope with the chaos of roads that, in my home village of Greenwich, were laid down by feet and hooves hundreds of years ago.

Amara’s Law works because researchers and practitioners, some driven by greed, others by fortune and others still by curiosity, but all of them nonetheless driven, find ways to improve the technology, find uses for it and eventually batter it into shape.

For business this is a worry for two reasons. On the one hand, if managers overestimate the readiness of a technology, then they tend to allocate too many resources to implementing it immediately at scale. Such quick ramp-ups are always followed by embarrassing climb downs.

On the other hand, if a technology is underestimated, like many did with the cloud and are doing right now with Artificial Intelligence, then all of a sudden they will find themselves playing catch up to their competitors.

A general-purpose technology’s destiny lies in users’ hands

The second reason to worry is that general purpose systems, like the content of Pandora’s box, cannot be put back once let out. For example, in the hands of Tim Berners-Lee, the personal computer and the Internet became the web. In the hands of a failed physicist in a garage in Seattle, the web gave birth to Amazon.com. What will artificial neural networks become in the hands of a hacker?

The box has been opened and we cannot put back the knowledge, the discoveries or the opportunities, good and bad, that opening the box created.

The end of the world of work as we know it

The third reason is the dramatic and continued effects on the labor market. Way before 2025 raised its head, McKinsey and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPCC) were worrying about job losses and what the latter called the upcoming ‘job apocalypse’.

As I see it the job apocalypse seems to be coming to pass. Announcements are made daily about governments opening up their data to private firms to train their artificial neural networks and of companies shedding their workforces and replacing them with AI ‘agents’. We all know talented people who have never previously been out of a job but now can’t find one.

Businesses have a triple challenge: rearranging their teams to work alongside AI agents, reassuring those left in the workforce, even though realistically there is nothing reassuring about what is happening, and doing so whilst the Damoclean Sword of Artificial Intelligence is suspended not by a horse’s hair but by something much less tenuous: the whims of a man in an office looking at a spreadsheet.

Reaping what we all sowed

The fourth reason is probably the worst of all.

In the early part of the 2010s, Cambridge Analytica illegally collected the personal data of millions of Facebook users. From that data, psychographics, a portmanteau of psychology and demographics, were used to place targeted political advertisements into the social media streams of millions of people.

These political messages nudged enough people to vote for Donald Trump in the US presidential election of 2016. For their role in the Cambridge Analytica scandals, Facebook was fined $5 billion by the Federal Trade commission. By the time that happened, Donald Trump had already won the election.

Since 2016, sustained upheaval in the labor market continues to cause a remarkable amount of misery. In the UK, the latest reports state that 5.2 million children live in poverty. That’s 1 in every 3 children. In the United States, in 2023, the child poverty rate increased to 13.7 per cent.

Class tensions have always preceded the rise of populist, strong-men leaders. In 2016, when good old fashion propaganda collided with good old fashioned data theft, web technologies graduated from tools of commerce to… the ultimate tool of propaganda on planet Earth.

Artificial Intelligence, including the creation of deep fakes, is coming of age at the exact same moment when content moderation teams are being dismantled and strong man politics is on the rise. This new, unfettered age of disinformation has collided with people that are so desperately poor and devoid of hope that they will vote for anyone who promises to take down the elites who made them suffer so much. Politicians of all stripes sowed the wind. We all now have to reap the whirlwind.

Business leaders might not think they have the luxury of thinking about politics, yet if they work in technology they are simultaneously part of the problem and potentially the solution. Ignorance is no defense!

Conclusion

Artificial Intelligence is a tidal wave that is currently breaking, and breaking things, all around us. Because it’s already here, commentary on AI is a peculiar, often confusing and an almost always out of date, mixture of description and prediction.

There’s some consensus on the past but not much consensus on the future. AI is likely to become cheaper and easier to wield and exactly where it takes us will depend on the politics and ethics (or lack thereof) of the user.

And Amara’s Law tells us that AI is about to get really practical any moment. Welcome to the future.

We've featured the best business plan software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• McLaren Health Care and Karmanos Caner Institute patients are being warned of 2024 breach
• Suspicious activity was caught in August 2024
• A nine-month review has concluded

A ransomware attack between July and August 2024 affecting McLaren Health Care and Karmanos Cancer Institute has resulted in a mammoth data breach affecting nearly 750,000 people.

Hackers stole the data of 743,131 people, including their Social Security numbers, health insurance information, driver's license details, names and medical data.

The attack has been linked to the INC ransomware gang, however McLaren's public statement failed to directly attribute the attack to any group.

Nearly 750,000 patients have data stolen

Attackers were first believed to have breached the systems on July 17, 2024, with suspicious activity later detected on August 5, 2024. Nine months later, on May 5, 2025, forensic review of the incident had ended, with a public notification later released this month.

During the breach, McLaren noted IT and phone systems were down, resulting in some surgeries, appointments and treatments being canceled or rescheduled.

"McLaren determined that personal information and protected health information pertaining to individuals was contained within the files involved," the notice reads.

During the incident, staff resorted to manually managing appointments and medication information.

Despite first failing to mention how systems were breached, McLaren later confirmed it was due to a ransomware attack.

"Our organization was the target of a cybersecurity attack by an international ransomware group that impacted the McLaren Health Care and Karmanos Cancer Institute computer network," the notice continues.

It's not the first time McLaren has been the victim of a ransomware attack – earlier in July 2023, the AlphV/BlackCat gang carried out an attack affecting 2.2 million individuals.

"There is currently no evidence that your information has been misused," McLaren stated, however affected individuals are being offered a year of free credit monitoring.

Potential victims affected by the breach should also remain vigilant and pay attention to any suspicious activity on their accounts.

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Over the last year, threat actors have upped the ante with their plots to disrupt vital business and public services – and they have had increasingly successful outcomes. In fact, the UK government estimates that some of the most disruptive breaches cost businesses, of any size, an average of approximately £1,205. When looking at medium and large enterprises, this cost increases to approximately £10,830.

The UK government recognizes the increasing dependence of businesses and organizations on digital technologies, which are vulnerable to constantly evolving cyberattacks. To address this, it is investing £2.6 billion in the National Cyber Strategy to enhance and protect the UK’s online presence.

Central to this effort is promoting ‘cyber resilience’ – organizations' ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from cyberattacks and security breaches. This resilience is fundamental to operational continuity, business growth and the overall health of the UK economy.

Evolving attack techniques signal an increased threat to businesses

Considering there were almost 9 million DDoS attacks globally in the second half of 2024, per NETSCOUT’s latest Threat Intelligence Report, the government’s greater focus on building cyber resilience is much needed. While the number of DDoS attacks across 2H2024 increased by more than 12 percent from the first half of the year, attacks are also more sophisticated than ever before.

For instance, application programming interfaces (APIs) paired with automation allows threat actors to carry out multitarget DDoS campaigns with minimal supervision, significantly increasing their attack efficiency.

Additionally, advanced techniques such as carpet-bombing, IPv6 abuse, internet service provider (ISP) masking and geo-spoofing expand attack reach for threat actors, allowing them to target victims regardless of their location, and bypass defenses.

The combination of increased frequency and sophistication of attacks increases the risk to businesses of being attacked. As has been seen from countless highly publicized incidents – such as the sophisticated cyberattack on Transport for London that disrupted services across the city in September – the devastation caused by DDoS attacks is significant.

When websites and business-critical applications are taken offline, the results are lost revenue, unhappy customers and irreparable damage to an organization's brand. The threat is continuing to grow so it is more important than ever for ISPs and enterprises to fully protect their networks and other critical infrastructure. To achieve this, organizations must look for more efficient and effective DDoS defense systems.

Exploring threat actors’ changing motivations

At a global level, there has been a noticeable increase in sophisticated DDoS hacktivism. Hacktivist groups have showcased their advanced technical capabilities, launching politically motivated cyberattacks against governments, infrastructure, and organizations around the world.

For example, NoName057(16) is the dominant actor behind geopolitical DDoS campaigns, focusing its efforts on government websites in the UK, Belgium, and Spain. In the last few years, this activity has signaled the beginning of a new era of cyber threats.

Geopolitical events drove massive attack spikes in 2024, with DDoS attacks increasingly becoming a weapon for political unrest. Threat actors have exploited periods of national vulnerability to amplify chaos and undermine confidence in institutions. For instance, Israel experienced a 2,844 percent surge in February tied to the conflict in Gaza, and Georgia saw a 1,489 percent increase in April leading up to the “Russia bill”.

These examples highlight the extent to which DDoS has become a go-to tool in sociopolitical conflicts – being deployed during elections, protests, and policy disputes – and how public sector and enterprise defenses need a rethink. Since attackers use a variety of techniques, ranging from custom-built tools to surprisingly simple methods, the need for robust and adaptable security measures is greater than ever.

Defending against DDoS attacks

The threat posed by DDoS attacks is a serious concern for businesses. Despite the prevalence of these attacks, the dangers often go unnoticed, with malicious traffic frequently mistaken for legitimate activity. Clever hackers can leave organizations vulnerable, even if they believe their defenses are robust.

To mitigate DDoS attacks, organizations should focus on reducing or terminating harmful traffic as soon as it is detected. Increasing network capacity is also crucial, as it helps absorb malicious traffic and prevents systems from being overwhelmed. Additionally, completely blocking anonymous and remote systems can make targets inaccessible to attackers, adding an extra layer of protection.

By implementing these strategies, organizations can enhance their visibility and resilience against DDoS attacks, navigating the complex landscape of cybersecurity with greater confidence.

Staying ahead of emerging cyber threats

The importance of keeping up with cyber threats cannot be overstated. Businesses should have a powerful DDoS protection system in place and regularly assess their network infrastructure. Just as organizations regularly prepare for fire drills by testing their alarms, proactively reassessing and regularly enhancing security measures is essential to stay afloat in the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape. With the shifting nature of DDoS threats, it is imperative for businesses to stay ahead of the curve, or they risk the severe consequences that come with being the victim of a DDoS attack.

After all, the devastating impact of cyberattacks across sectors has been seen globally with too many instances to count. Therefore, organizations need to be aware of current threat trends and prioritize their defense strategies. With comprehensive visibility, actionable threat intelligence and the right security team in place, businesses can build the awareness and resilience needed to navigate today’s threat landscape effectively.

We've featured the best online cybersecurity course.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, June 24 (game #744).

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 #745) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CRAN
• CUP
• RASP
• RAVE
• STRAW
• GOAT
• HERO
• BLUE
• PLANE
• LID
• JACK
• SAW
• FLAMING
• NAPKIN
• CHISEL
• SWISS

NYT Connections today (game #745) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Dairy slices
• GREEN: Found at the coffee shop
• BLUE: Essential for carpentry
• PURPLE: Flying but something’s missing

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 #745) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: KINDS OF CHEESES 
• GREEN: BEVERAGE SELF-SERVICE ITEMS 
• BLUE: WOODWORKING HAND TOOLS 
• PURPLE: BIRDS MINUS LAST LETTER 

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

NYT Connections today (game #745) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #745, are…

• YELLOW: KINDS OF CHEESES BLUE, GOAT, JACK, SWISS
• GREEN: BEVERAGE SELF-SERVICE ITEMS CUP, LID, NAPKIN, STRAW
• BLUE: WOODWORKING HAND TOOLS CHISEL, PLANE, RASP, SAW
• PURPLE: BIRDS MINUS LAST LETTER CRAN, FLAMING, HERO, RAVE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

I fell hook, line, and sinker for today’s trap.

Uncertain what CRAN could possibly refer to, I had one of those moments of realization that only Connections can give you, when the clouds of confusion part and suddenly everything becomes clear.

“Cran”, I thought must be short for cranberry and ah yes, there is STRAW short for strawberry, BLUE for blueberry, and RASP for raspberry. 

Then came the other classic Connections sensation, when after thinking you are really clever and have found four linked words you discover you are wrong. So wrong in fact that you are looking for a “group of four”.

Pulling myself back together I managed to muddle through – not that I ever had any inkling that cran could be part of a group of BIRDS MINUS LAST LETTER.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, June 24, game #744)

• YELLOW: STRICT FIRM, RIGID, STERN, TOUGH
• GREEN: BOTANICAL COVERINGS HULL, HUSK, POD, SHELL
• BLUE: SEEN IN OPENING CREDITS CAST, DIRECTOR, STUDIO, TITLE
• PURPLE: OBJECTS IN 0-, 1-, 2- AND 3-DIMENSIONAL SPACE LINE, PLANE, POINT, SOLID

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, June 24 (game #478).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Worth the splurge

NYT Strands today (game #479) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• DOOM
• SCONE
• MENU
• BEND
• FURY
• TILE

NYT Strands today (game #479) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #479) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 4th column

Last side: left, 7th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #479) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #479, are…

• WATCH
• HANDBAG
• JEWELRY
• PERFUME
• CONVERTIBLE
• SPANGRAM: LUXURY GOODS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Not much of a stretch today, with all the words hiding in plain sight with minimal twists. The biggest surprise was the very rare sight of a spangram that started at the top and ended at the side.

“Worth the splurge” immediately had me thinking about family vacations, which are nearly always worth spending your hard-earned cash on. Instead, after finding WATCH and HANDBAG it became obvious we were looking for the standard array of LUXURY GOODS.

The thing all the items we were searching for today have in common is that they are all non essential and that cheaper versions of all of them are readily available, although with the exception of PERFUME all can be justified as splurge-worthy as they do not depreciate at the same rate as those cheaper versions (that’s what we tell ourselves anyway).

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, June 24, game #478)

• FLAXSEED
• PROBIOTIC
• CALCIUM
• ZINC
• MAGNESIUM
• SPANGRAM: SUPPLEMENTS

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, June 24 (game #1247).

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 #1248) - hint #1 - VowelsHow 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 #1248) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1248) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1248) - 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 #1248) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• C

• M

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1248) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1248, are…

• SOGGY
• CLASH
• MODEM
• SQUAD

I got caught out by MODEM, guessing the more obvious word with model, but I still found today’s Quordle immensely satisfying to complete.

Perhaps it was the rare appearance of the letter Q, or maybe CLASH reminding me of one of my favorite bands, or possibly it’s just because the sun is shining here in London and I can go out for a walk without getting SOGGY.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1248) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1248, are…

• CRIED
• STEAD
• KAPPA
• CLUCK

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1247, Tuesday, 24 June: QUALM, SQUIB, AXIAL, FLACK
• Quordle #1246, Monday, 23 June: PIXEL, FJORD, STEAL, EXIST
• Quordle #1245, Sunday, 22 June: WREST, CRAZE, PAPAL, SCION
• Quordle #1244, Saturday, 21 June: BUDDY, GROUT, BEGIN, MADAM
• Quordle #1243, Friday, 20 June: BRAID, DULLY, HASTE, LURID
• Quordle #1242, Thursday, 19 June: BRUSH, ISLET, FRUIT, PRIVY
• Quordle #1241, Wednesday, 18 June: MEDIA, SHARK, GUPPY, MOURN
• Quordle #1240, Tuesday, 17 June: LEAPT, PRISM, ADMIN, WHINE
• Quordle #1239, Monday, 16 June: RETRY, SCALD, DINGO, FEIGN
• Quordle #1238, Sunday, 15 June: SHOCK, STEIN, BROIL, COVEN
• Quordle #1237, Saturday, 14 June: STICK, FERRY, THESE, IONIC
• Quordle #1236, Friday, 13 June: REPEL, LARGE, SNIDE, CARRY
• Quordle #1235, Thursday, 12 June: SCANT, BATCH, UNDER, PARSE
• Quordle #1234, Wednesday, 11 June: CRAVE, ROOST, ANGLE, FLOOD
• Quordle #1233, Tuesday, 10 June: DECRY, CHEEK, FILET, EASEL
• Quordle #1232, Monday, 9 June: DERBY, LEMON, WRITE, HOVEL
• Quordle #1231, Sunday, 8 June: REBAR, ALERT, PAYEE, FLUME
• Quordle #1230, Saturday, 7 June: FLUNK, ESTER, SPITE, CHEAP
• Quordle #1229, Friday, 6 June: ELUDE, KHAKI, VISTA, SMOKY
• Quordle #1228, Thursday, 5 June: CHIDE, RABBI, GUSTY, LANCE