YouTube has rolled out support for Android Auto with playback controls
The catch is that it doesn't play videos, and you can only stream audio
You also need YouTube Premium for it to work, as it's essentially background play
YouTube is finally rolling out support for Android Auto, the app that allows you to mirror your smartphone screen to your car’s dashboard — but before your excitement takes over, you should note that it comes with a slew of limitations.
The video platform has been quite silent with this launch however, and instead of formally announcing the integration, users online have come across it themselves like in this Reddit post. As it stands, Android Auto is pretty strict with what you can and can’t do while your car is in motion which, when it comes to eliminating visual distractions while driving, is a safety no-brainer. That said, YouTube on Android Auto is not the YouTube you know and love.
For starters, Android Auto removes one of YouTube’s key elements and that’s its video player, meaning you won’t be able to watch anything and can only listen to audio playback just like the best music streaming services. In theory, you can play any type of content you want, but you’ll only be able to listen to its audio — which won’t be a huge setback if you exclusively listen to podcast episodes or videos that are ideal for audio-only listening.
(Image credit: Reddit / u/IGameShit)
Though it takes away YouTube’s biggest functionality, it doesn’t come as a huge surprise and is arguably the most sensible thing to do to ensure safe driving. Not only that, it doesn’t offer full-screen viewing or the option to browse for content, and playback controls are also limited on top of that.
As reported by 9to5Google, you won’t be able to skip forward within a video, and the current skip button will take you straight to the next video in the queue. You can still pause and play audio from the player screen, but you won’t have access to YouTube’s complete slew of playback tools.
Until now, users have been relying on workarounds to get YouTube working on Android Auto, so I can see this integration being widely welcomed. But it wouldn’t be classic YouTube if there weren’t a YouTube Premium catch.
A secret YouTube Premium persuasion strategy
Did you think you could get away with streaming YouTube through Android Auto for free? I hate to break it to you, but you’re going to need a YouTube Premium subscription in order to do so.
In typical YouTube style, Android Auto integration is another functionality that’s being paywalled behind Premium and it’s all because of background play, which is required for streaming through Android Auto. As this is a tool only available to paying subscribers, only those with a membership will be able to stream YouTube on a car dashboard, and the way I look at it is this is yet another strategy YouTube is using to get more people signing up to Premium.
The cheapest way to do this is through YouTube Premium Lite which costs $7.99 / £7.99 / AU$8.99 a month, a relatively new tier that was launched last year. Background viewing and offline downloads were added just a few months back, but while it offers majority ad-supported viewing, this doesn’t apply to music and other music-related content. If you’re like me and use YouTube for all things music and live performances, the standard Premium plan is your best option.
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 29 (game #756).
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 #757) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… For a rainy day
NYT Strands today (game #757) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
SPAN
CLAM
TRAM
TRAIN
TONER
SPACY
NYT Strands today (game #757) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 12 letters
NYT Strands today (game #757) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: bottom, 3rd column
Last side: right, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #757) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #757, are…
SHAFT
CANOPY
PANEL
VENT
BUTTON
HANDLE
RIBS
SPANGRAM: UMBRELLATERM
My rating: Easy
My score: Perfect
“For a rainy day” immediately set me off in search of coats, hats and of course umbrella, but it took me a while to add 'term' to complete today’s parasol-shaped spangram, indicating a search for the many parts that make up a brolly. There are more of them than I realized.
Not initially seeing any relevant words after spotting the spangram, I went in search of non-game words in order to get a hint — but in the process accidentally found SHAFT and CANOPY, which set me on my voyage of discovery.
I’m not a fan of umbrellas in the urban environment. They’re okay in the countryside or on a golf course, but navigating an array of pointy umbrellas on a crowded street is loaded with peril.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, March 29, game #756)
BUGS
SUET
FRUIT
MILLET
BERRIES
NECTAR
SEEDS
SPANGRAM: FORTHEBIRDS
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.
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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, March 28 (game #755).
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 #756) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… A bit peckish
NYT Strands today (game #756) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
FOURTEEN
FILET
TRACE
BEER
BATE
TRIM
NYT Strands today (game #756) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 11 letters
NYT Strands today (game #756) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: top, 1st column
Last side: bottom, 4th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #756) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #756, are…
BUGS
SUET
FRUIT
MILLET
BERRIES
NECTAR
SEEDS
SPANGRAM: FORTHEBIRDS
My rating: Easy
My score: Perfect
As somebody who is always “a bit peckish”, this search could have been for everything from chips to fruit salad to Turkish banquet.
Instead, we were hunting for foodstuffs connected to our feathered friends. Discovering the spangram early in the game helped ease my initial confusion after finding BUGS and SUET first — both items that are not on my snack menu.
I managed to navigate the board fairly easily, struggling only over the combination of NECTAR and SEEDS – and I was also thrilled to spy a rare eight-letter non-game word.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, March 28, game #755)
EMAIL
TEXT
MISSIVE
LETTER
MEMO
POSTCARD
SPANGRAM: CORRESPONDENCE
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.
Google Search Live is now available globally in 200 countries and 98 languages
Search Live uses the new Gemini 3.1 Flash Live audio and voice model to enable a “more natural” conversational search
Audio responses have links to the information source
Google has rolled out its AI-powered conversational search tool, Search Live, globally to more than 200 countries and territories, and is available in 98 languages. First launched in the US in September 2025, Search Live lets you point your phone or tablet’s camera at something and ask the AI tool about it out loud, such as what model washing machine you have and how to use it.
The AI then responds with an audio answer that’s also, handily, captioned, and will continue listening for any clarifications and follow-up questions to emulate a natural conversation.
You can access Search Live through the Google app on Android or iOS by tapping the “Live” button under the search bar, placed between the AI Mode and Nano Banana buttons. It can also be accessed through Google Lens and the dedicated Gemini app.
Google has said the expansion has been made possible thanks to the launch of a new audio and voice model called Gemini 3.1 Flash Live, which it says is “inherently multilingual”. The company also claims the model also responds to queries faster, and aims to deliver “more natural and intuitive conversations”.
Analysis: Good but not perfect
Search Live uses query fan-out — an information retrieval technique that broadens the search by looking at related answers beyond a specific question — to provide a more comprehensive response and double down on the conversational aspect.
We tried Search Live in June last year, and noted how the tool continues to work in the background to use query fan-out, and my colleague Eric Hal Schwartz said the answers “didn’t feel boxed into a single form of response, even on relatively straightforward queries”.
I took it for a spin myself, testing it on my bike. While Search Live was good at identifying the specific model, year of release and why it had a specific paint job, it failed to recognize that I had swapped out the stock wheelset for a third-party set and thought that it still had the integrated handlebars that it originally came with. It also failed to correctly identify the accessories on the bike, like my rear light, water bottle and the bottle cages.
(Image credit: Future | Nico Arboleda)
In a similar test, it failed to identify the Nothing Phone 4a Pro that was on my desk, calling it the Nothing Phone 2a instead. I compared the results with the same question on Gemini Live, and I received identical answers.
It’s understandable why some of the results were incorrect as the AI assistant was drawing from existing sources online and new products won’t necessarily have information for the model to learn from but, as it stands, it can handle a fair few general queries.
According to Google, over 1.5 billion people were using Google Lens to identify objects around them as of June 2025 and there are about 750 million Gemini Live users, so it would be interesting to see what the uptake of Search Live will be globally and if this becomes the default way to search for information online.
I don’t think there’s any way around it — the internet in the sky has never been a perfect experience. However, many airlines are starting to buck that trend, and in the United States, United Airlines has been punching above the rest.
In October 2025, I had the chance to fly aboard United’s first mainline jet — a Boeing 737-900 — with fast, free Wi-Fi powered by Starlink. After the flight, I wrote, “It feels like the internet finally reached the sky.” That’s still accurate and sums up my main feelings, but I got to fly again — this time on a slightly different Boeing 737-900 — and United has been hard at work speeding up these installations.
Now, every United Express regional jet boasts Starlink — a big upgrade, as those aircraft previously had some of the least reliable satellite internet — and United has Starlink on 18 mainline jets. This was a more packed flight, with a lot more media, creators, and influencers really taxing the network. That’s expected for a Starlink demonstration flight, but even with slower speed tests, I didn’t experience latency or much lag with any task that would normally struggle on current in-flight internet systems.
(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)
At its best, via an iPhone 17 Pro Max, I scored 291 Mbps download and 35.1 Mbps upload. Toward the end of the flight, before beginning descent, I got around 41.7 Mbps download via an iPhone Air.
Even with those variations, I could livestream a show or movie, or even select a “live channel” via Disney+ on an iPad, watch any video on YouTube, and scroll through TikTok or Instagram Reels without the slowdowns or loading issues typical of non-Starlink-equipped United flights.
But maybe the best part is simply being able to stay connected. I never had an issue sending a message via iMessage, WhatsApp, or even Facebook Messenger. I could send and receive texts, photos, and videos — thanks to my brother for sending pictures of my pup Rosie. I didn’t feel disconnected, even while flying over Los Angeles at 35,000 feet.
It all felt very instant, with speeds similar to using my iPhone on 5G cellular or home and office Wi-Fi networks. United has also made the process really simple to get connected — and it’s entirely free.
Right now, for standard in-flight Wi-Fi, you could pay anywhere from $8 if you’re a MileagePlus member — or $10 without — to upwards of $17.99 for international routes, where the network can be especially spotty.
(Image credit: United Airlines)
You’ll start by connecting to United Wi-Fi, which you can do as soon as you board. From there, follow the on-screen steps, starting with a screen that says, “Break the Barrier.”
That’s United’s slogan for its Starlink-powered Wi-Fi. You’ll swipe through about three screens, including three rules you’ll need to abide by:
Voice and video calls are prohibited by federal law
Enjoy audio, video, online gaming, and live event content while using headphones
If others could find what you're viewing offensive, please choose something else to stream
You’ll sign in with your United MileagePlus account — it’s free to join and unlocks the free Wi-Fi — or, if you’re signing in on your phone with the United app installed, it should auto-fill. From there, you’ll watch two quick ads — I saw a 30-second Starlink one and a 17-second United credit card one — and then you’re connected and off to the races.
Throughout the flight — which felt like a better representation of a true commercial Starlink experience, something United is now running daily — the in-flight Wi-Fi was consistent, smooth, and, most importantly, didn’t cause any roadblocks.
While not allowed on a typical commercial flight, we were permitted to try video calls to really push Starlink’s capabilities to the max. I was able to FaceTime with TechRadar’s Editor-at-Large, Lance Ulanoff, and it was clear, with no noticeable latency or voice or video garbling. He reported that I looked great on the other end. Same with my family, who I wanted to show a live, 35,000-foot view of the California coast.
It was seamless — I could easily browse the web, scroll through cloud storage like Google Drive or iCloud, stream videos, download songs to a Spotify playlist while streaming, hop into a live newscast, respond to emails, and use pretty much any device I had.
Back in October 2025, I also tried connecting the Nintendo Switch 2. United has been looking into it, and while I still couldn’t get it to connect on this second Starlink demonstration flight, the airline tells me a patch is coming, and the console should begin working in the coming weeks.
Similarly, while I could upload videos to TikTok and Instagram — and even go live on both platforms — uploads aren’t lightning-fast. A sub-one-minute video took about five minutes to upload, but it’s passable. I likely wouldn’t use a flight to upload long-form video, but for collaboration, tools like Google Docs or Pages worked well.
Just like the Boeing 737-800 I first flew with Starlink in October 2025, there are two Starlink antennas mounted on top of the aircraft near the front, along with four onboard routers distributing the connection. It’s also multi-device — I connected two iPhones, an iPad, and a MacBook Pro without issue.
(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)
United is still on track to have its entire fleet fitted with Starlink by the end of 2027. That’s still a long way off, but progress is steady — with 16 more mainline aircraft added since October 2025 and the full United Express regional fleet now equipped. Next up are larger jets — like the 787, 777, 757, and 767 — as well as other variants of the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A321.
We can only hope the timeline continues to accelerate as United refines the installation process. It’s also clear the airline is onto something, as others — both domestic and international — are making similar moves.
Zach Griff, travel expert and author of travel newsletter From the Tray Table, shared with TechRadar, "Starlink really is a game changer for in-flight Wi-Fi. The low latency and blazing-fast download speeds make streaming a breeze. On United, Starlink is an even bigger deal because the existing satellite-based Wi-Fi providers can be lackluster at best."
"That’s why I believe the next 18 months are going to be painful for United flyers. They’ve now seen the future with what fleetwide Starlink WiFi is going to be like, but they’ll need to wait until the end of 2027 to experience it on every jet."
And I agree, United’s vision of “enabling the living room in the sky” experience feels genuinely distinct — something Grant Milstead, United’s Vice President of Digital Technology, reinforced on this test flight and even earlier, when Starlink was just an announcement.
As of now, 344 aircraft feature Starlink, and United has operated more than 167,000 flights with the faster, free Wi-Fi — but for those who are waiting, that rollout can't come soon enough.
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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 23 (game #750).
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 #751) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Get over it… or get through it
NYT Strands today (game #751) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
HEAL
CLAW
POOL
LOOP
FUEL
TALL
NYT Strands today (game #751) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 14 letters
NYT Strands today (game #751) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: top, 3rd column
Last side: bottom, 6th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #751) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #751, are…
TUNNEL
FENCE
HURDLE
HOOP
WALL
BARRICADE
SPANGRAM: OBSTACLECOURSE
My rating: Hard
My score: Perfect
Today’s theme put me in mind of the children’s storybook We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, with its repeated refrain of “we can’t go over it, we can't go under it, oh no! we’ve got to go through it!”
In truth I wasn’t that far off, as I realized after separately finding OBSTACLE and COURSE and then putting them together for today’s whopping curly slide of a spangram.
In the UK we have a popular event called the Tough Mudder, which basically involves people clambering over things before clambering through mud. I did it once, but it’s a young man’s game so I decided to dedicate my spare time to word searches instead.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, March 23, game #750)
SNAP
CRACK
SPLINTER
RUPTURE
FRACTURE
SPANGRAM: BREAKDOWN
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.
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 15 (game #742).
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 #743) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… The Big Dance
NYT Strands today (game #743) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
BREAK
NICE
BLUE
ROVER
TRIBE
CHARM
NYT Strands today (game #743) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 12 letters
NYT Strands today (game #743) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: left, 4th row
Last side: right, 2nd row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #743) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #743, are…
CHALK
BUBBLE
BRACKET
OVERTIME
CINDERELLA
SPANGRAM: MARCHMADNESS
My rating: Hard
My score: 3 hints
Depending on your geographical location and predilection to sports you would have found today’s search incredibly easy or incredibly hard.
Considering that I live somewhere where the NBA barely reaches, I have not experienced MARCHMADNESS in its madcap glory beyond a few clips of last-nanosecond victories that my basketball-loving friend has shown me.
Instead, I took the theme literally and went searching for types of dances — after “break” came up blank I needed major help from hints to help me navigate the board.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, March 15, game #742)
DIRECTOR
SOUND
ACTOR
ACTRESS
PICTURE
SONG
SPANGRAM: ACADEMYAWARD
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.
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1506) - hint #1 - Vowels
How many different vowels are in Quordle today?
• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.
* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).
Quordle today (game #1506) - 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 #1506) - 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.
What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?
• A
• W
• P
• P
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #1506) - the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today's Quordle, game #1506, are…
AWARE
WORDY
PETTY
POWER
Guessing “poker” instead of POWER was a gamble, but with plenty of lines left it was one with minimal risk.This minor gambit aside, my other words today were anagrams, with AWARE needing an extra A for me to be able to find a word from the letters I had.
Daily Sequence today (game #1506) - the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1506, are…
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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, February 21 (game #719).
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 #720) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… xxxxx
NYT Strands today (game #720) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
MATH
FLAP
DATA
FADE
SODA
CLOSED
NYT Strands today (game #720) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 15 letters
NYT Strands today (game #720) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: bottom, 3rd column
Last side: top, 5th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #720) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #720, are…
FLAME
PARADE
FLAG
ATHLETE
ANTHEM
MEDAL
SPANGRAM: CLOSINGCEREMONY
My rating: Easy
My score: Perfect
The Olympic Flame is extinguished today — before being lit again for the start of the Winter Paralympics in 12 days' time.
Today’s spangram mimicked the shape of an Olympic torch (or possibly someone on a skeleton bob, it’s hard to tell) and included the many rituals that feature in a typical CLOSINGCEREMONY or MEDAL presentation.
One notable absentee from this search was speeches — something there’s a little too much of at Olympics ceremonies, which much like today’s spangram are needlessly long.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, February 21, game #719)
HOPS
BARLEY
WATER
MALT
FLAVOR
YEAST
SUGAR
WHEAT
SPANGRAM: HOMEBREW
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.
A spoiler protection feature for WhatsApp is in the works
It's been spotted in the beta release for iOS and Android now
There's a similar feature already in place threads on Reddit
WhatsApp is known for pushing out new upgrades at a steady clip, and there's a feature in the works that could potentially help you avoid spoilers from friends and family members for the big shows of the moment.
As spotted by WABetaInfo (via 9to5Mac), the latest beta version of WhatsApp for iOS comes with a spoiler format option, which means text wouldn't be revealed to recipients until it had been specifically tapped on in a message.
It would work in a similar way to the spoiler formatting option currently available on Reddit: when you open up a post, spoiler text is concealed, and then you need to click on it to see the message underneath.
This would mean you could carry on chatting with contacts without worrying about seeing information on the latest plot twists on Bridgerton or Industry. The same feature has already turned up in beta versions of WHatsApp for Android.
Coming soon
How the spoiler feature works(Image credit: WABetaInfo)
The new feature, assuming it does eventually roll out, would be particularly useful in group chats – where some participants might be caught up with the latest happenings in the best shows on streaming platforms and others might not.
It's not clear how long it will take for this spoiler protection feature to make it out of beta and into the official app, but it's an upgrade that makes a lot of sense – and which should end up getting a lot of use in WhatsApp conversations.
At the moment, spoiler tags can't be applied to images and videos, but the team at WABetaInfo speculates that this might come too, eventually – meaning you'd be even better protected against revelations you don't want to see.
Only yesterday, WhatsApp began rolling out another upgrade for group chats, enabling new arrivals in these conversations to see a selected amount of the group history – saving the same information from being reposted again and again.
Mark Zuckerberg spoke at the LA social media addiction trial
He defended Meta's approach to protecting teen users
The plantiff's lawyer argued Meta was targeting teens for platform growth
Meta's focus might look to be more on AI and smart glasses than the social media platforms which saw it rise to prominence, but errors its accused of making with regards to keeping teens safe online could affect the whole company, and the whole tech industry.
To catch you up to speed, Meta and YouTube are currently involved in a social media addiction trial being held in Los Angeles, which pits the duo against a plaintiff accusing the companies of intentionally creating damagingly addictive platforms.
It’s one of thousands of similar lawsuits that have been filed against social media giants, which are attempting to argue that platform features rather than platform content have created negative addictive tendencies in younger users. Social media content is protected by the infamous Section 230 federal rule, which shields platforms from liability for the user-generated content on their sites, but lawyers for the plaintiff argue the law doesn’t protect features like infinite scroll.
The trial started a little over a week ago, and after opening arguments from lawyers for each side, key figures are taking the stand, including, recently, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Zuckerberg defended the actions of his company, saying that, while he regrets Meta not making faster progress in its efforts to identify users under 13, the teams working on platforms like Facebook and Instagram have spent years addressing “problematic use” because “it’s the right thing to do” (via the BBC).
This includes adding features such as daily use limits, usage alerts, and the ability to switch notifications off in the evening and overnight.
He was, however, questioned about various internal messages, such as one in 2017 which sees an executive saying “Mark has decided the top priority for the company is teens," and another from 2015 in which Zuckerberg and others discuss strategies to increase "teen usage."
Zuckerberg was also asked about a 2019 research report from an independent company done on behalf of Instagram, which said teen users had "an addicts' narrative about their Instagram use."
(Image credit: Meta)
More than a social media trial?
As we've discussed in previous articles about this ongoing story, the verdict made in this trial could have major ramifications for social media companies. There are thousands of similar lawsuits making their way through the US courts that would take precedent from the decisions made here, and a negative result for Meta and YouTube could embolden more governments to introduce or tighten social media restrictions for younger users, following the lead of Australia.
But for both of these companies, a negative result – or even simply a negative result in the court of public opinion – could impact not only their past mistakes but their future projects too.
Both Meta and Google, the parent of YouTube, are currently pushing hard into AI and wearables with Ray-Ban Meta glasses and Android XR. Smart glasses are the big new thing in tech, and there are rumors that Meta might finally launch a smart watch to compete with Android and Apple bands, but these gadgets can give these companies a lot of insight into our lives and our physical health.
(Image credit: Future)
A recent New York Times report has suggested Meta wants to add facial recognition to its specs, and numerous wearables brands have dreamed up visions of glasses that can remind you where you left your keys before you leave home. But these features only work effectively if your tech is always watching your every move, listening to all your conversations, and deeply involved in your life.
If the perception (even if the trial’s verdict disputes it) is that Meta and YouTube – and by extension Google – misuse social media data to get people hooked on their tech, I imagine folks wouldn’t be keen to hand over even more data to these companies through wearables.
Equally, if Meta and YouTube can prove they have done everything they can to keep users safe, then that could help convince people that their wearables are the safest option in this new AI/AR wild west.
This is a case we’ll be following closely, though with the trial still underway, and appeals likely to follow, don't expect a final decision to be made any time soon.
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, February 8 (game #707).
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 #708) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Frequent flyer
NYT Strands today (game #708) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
TRAP
SPORT
PITY
GROPE
MURAL
COIL
NYT Strands today (game #708) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 8 letters
NYT Strands today (game #708) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: left, 5th row
Last side: right, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #708) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #708, are…
RUNWAY
LUGGAGE
SECURITY
PASSPORT
PILOT
TARMAC
SPANGRAM: AIRPORTS
My rating: Hard
My score: Perfect
After initially thinking we were looking for airlines and then, after getting the spangram first, the names of AIRPORTS I was relieved when it was simply a case of airport-related words.
Airport terminals are often described as being a living hell, but I’d reserve that description for any branch of Build A Bear Workshop on a Saturday afternoon. There are many things I don’t like about them, but I’ve found arriving for flights four hours earlier relieves my tension and allows me to enjoy the frisson of international jet set travel and the unique availability of gigantic Toblerones.
Anyway, this search presented minimal surprises, but I did find it slow going. I hope your passage was smoother.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, February 8, game #707)
OLIVE
CHERRY
SHRIMP
TWIST
CELERY
SPRIG
SPANGRAM: COCKTAILGARNISH
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.
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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, February 7 (game #706).
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 #707) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Make it fancy
NYT Strands today (game #707) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
SHARP
STICK
CLAP
GLOVE
SLOG
CRISP
NYT Strands today (game #707) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 15 letters
NYT Strands today (game #707) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: top, 2nd column
Last side: bottom, 5th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #707) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #707, are…
OLIVE
CHERRY
SHRIMP
TWIST
CELERY
SPRIG
SPANGRAM: COCKTAILGARNISH
My rating: Hard
My score: 1 hint
I knew I was in trouble after getting six non-game words without a clue as to what today’s theme was about.
A hint gave me OLIVE, but it took me a little while to twist it into a word despite it being just five letters long. At this point I thought the search must be for hors d'oeuvres and fancy party snacks.
After getting CHERRY I finally got it and worked my way around the board gathering other cocktail fancies, including the spectacular spangram in the shape of a cocktail glass – chin, chin.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, February 7, game #706)
DULL
MUNDANE
DREARY
TIRESOME
HUMDRUM
SPANGRAM: WATCHINGPAINTDRY
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.
Mozilla Firefox 148 will soon get an AI kill switch
This addition can disable all AI features in one go
You’ll also be able to disable AI tools individually, if you like
Firefox is often chosen by people who dislike the direction Google Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers are taking. And as browser makers rush to stuff their products with as much artificial intelligence (AI) as possible, Firefox is taking a different tack, introducing an “AI kill switch” that disables all AI features in the Mozilla app.
In a blog post about the decision, Mozilla says users will get the feature with the Firefox 148 update, which is set to arrive on February 24. Not only will this let you manage individual AI features within the browser, but you’ll also be able to switch them off entirely with a single click.
Aside from the all-in-one kill switch, you’ll be able to choose whether to enable or disable the following features: translations, alt text in PDF files, AI-powered tab grouping, link previews, and the AI chatbot that’s located in the browser’s sidebar.
Mozilla caused something of a backlash late in 2025 when it announced it would bring AI features to the Firefox browser. Although these run on your device – meaning your information is not sent to any company’s cloud servers – many users were unhappy with the advent of AI features in a browser like Firefox, which has often sought to differentiate itself from rival offerings.
Banish AI from your browser
Mozilla’s latest move seems to have met with a positive reaction from some sections of the internet. Responding to the announcement on Reddit, user jpsreddit85 quipped, “Says a lot about the future state of AI when the most requested feature is to disable it.” User David-J, meanwhile, commented that “Someone is actually reading the room.”
As a long-time Firefox user, this feels like the right move by Mozilla. AI is controversial at the best of times, but especially so among Firefox users, who pride themselves on their independence and generally seem less on board with AI than many internet users.
Adding AI to Firefox was always going to be a risky move by Mozilla, given the userbase’s sentiments – adding a way to block it entirely is a sensible way to win back support.
That said, this seems to be a fairly isolated move in the world of web browsers. Chrome has a near-monopoly on browsers, and its creator, Google, a major AI investor, has added numerous AI features to the app. Microsoft and Apple, makers of Edge and Safari, are equally committed to AI.
Very few browsers have added an AI kill switch like Firefox's, though privacy-focused alternatives like Brave and DuckDuckGo can also be customized in this way. That all means that if you’re sick of AI in your browser, there are options available to you – you just need to avoid the biggest players.
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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, January 31 (game #699).
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 #700) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… It's a gift
NYT Strands today (game #700) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
SNUG
DIRTY
SNOW
WAIT
GROAN
SNORE
NYT Strands today (game #700) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 10 letters
NYT Strands today (game #700) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: top, 3rd column
Last side: bottom, 3rd column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #700) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #700, are…
GRANT
BONUS
AWARD
OFFERING
PRESENT
DONATION
SPANGRAM: GENEROSITY
My rating: Hard
My score: Perfect
Despite needing no hints I’m classifying this game as hard because it took me so long to find all the words.
Part of the difficulty was that all the words – with the exception of GRANT – read from right to left, something I still struggle with despite several years of playing this game.
GENEROSITY is one of mankind’s greatest traits, but as is the case with many if not all of today’s search words, it is all too often associated with financial generosity as opposed to the generosity of kindness – which is something we can all afford.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, January 31, game #699)
BASE
BASKET
PADDLE
FOOT
PICKLE
RACQUET
VOLLEY
SPANGRAM: HAVEABALL
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.
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, January 30 (game #698).
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 #699) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… It's part of the game
NYT Strands today (game #699) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
RACK
PILE
VOTES
LOVE
HAVE
CLEAR
NYT Strands today (game #699) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 9 letters
NYT Strands today (game #699) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: left, 5th row
Last side: right, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #699) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #699, are…
BASE
BASKET
PADDLE
FOOT
PICKLE
RACQUET
VOLLEY
SPANGRAM: HAVEABALL
My rating: Easy
My score: Perfect
I’ve sometimes wondered if we should have three different summer Olympics. One for track events, one for ball games and one for all the stuff that should really be in the olympics – horse dancing, gymnastics, poodle clipping. To be fair, that last one ended after Paris 1900, although I would argue it’s more of a sport than synchronized swimming.
Anyway, I digress. Today we were searching for games unified by the word BALL in their title, including the world’s greatest sport… VOLLEY ball. Specifically the one you play with a balloon at a party when you’re seven years old. I miss those days.
Once the theme made itself obvious this was a fairly straightforward search, although of all the ball sports PICKLE was an, erm, curveball.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, January 30, game #698)
LANDMARK
BEACON
COMPASS
ATLAS
SEXTANT
STAR
SPANGRAM: FINDYOURWAY
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.
