Nothing OS 5.0 has been released with major improvements, with more than 80 upgrades covering design, speed and artificial intelligence capabilities. The update is based on the Android 17 foundation and is focused on improving user experience via control, personalisation and enjoyment while keeping the basic Android UI.
Nothing OS 5.0 Availability
The Nothing OS 5.0 open beta will be live from Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at 3:30 PM IST and will first be available on the Phone (3) before being rolled out to other compatible devices. Schedule for rollout:
Phone (3): Open beta on 26 August, general release in mid-October
Phone (4A) Pro: Open Beta in early September, General Release in early November
Phone (4A): Open Beta in late September, General Release in early November
Phone (3A) Pro: Open Beta in late September, General Release in early November
Phone (3A): Open Beta in late September, General Release in early November
Phone (2A): Open Beta in mid-October, general release in mid-November
Phone (2A) Plus: Open Beta in mid-October, general release in mid-November
Phone (3A) Lite: Open Beta in late December
Phone (4B): Open Beta in mid-December, general release in mid-January
CMF Phone 2 Pro: Open Beta in mid-January
Nothing OS 5.0 Features
Nothing OS 5.0 has redesigned the home screen from the ground up with a new theme and transparent widgets that provide depth and a consistent look and feel across apps like the Gallery. The adaptive colour scheme will dynamically adjust to the backdrop and change the app icons and widgets appropriately. The Status Bar, Settings, Camera and Gallery have received new user interface features, including new icons, better spacing, animations, improved album views and sorting options.
The update also brings the Geist type face to the update, keeping everything consistent and unified with blur effects and updated font sizes to fit the UI. For the lock screen, new customisable clock faces have been introduced, namely Gooey and Micrographics, and more options allowing you to personalise.
Home screen editing enhanced, the user may now move numerous applications and widgets at the same time. New widgets are available, such as the Collector widget for visual collections and the Away Time widget for monitoring when you are away from your phone. A dedicated Glyph app brings all Glyph features together in one place and offers a Glyph Timer widget on the home screen for quick access.
The performance improvements include quicker responsiveness to touch, better handling of memory, and smoother animations in the system for an overall enhanced user experience. Bluetooth controls have been changed to make connecting and disconnecting easier with fewer taps in Quick Settings.
The upgrade also adds improved core AI technologies, including quicker and better structured transcriptions with Essential Voice, Smart Collections in Essential Space, and a no-code app creation option with the Essential Apps Builder. Built on Android 17, the new OS has enhanced Notifications and Quick Settings panels, cross-platform sharing features via QR codes and better privacy settings for camera, microphone and location use.
Other enhancements include Noto 3D emojis, extended support for Dark Theme, individual volume controls for the Assistant, and a new Recents panel. All in all, Nothing OS 5.0 promises a complete upgrade to the user interface and functionality.
Done with your morning coffee but not today’s Connections puzzle? There’s no reason to sweat it. We’re here to help you out. First, we’ll give you some pointers in the form of spoiler-free hints. Next, we’ll reveal one word from each category, followed by the list of themes. Finally, we’ll give you the answers along with their explanations. So, let’s dive into the hints, clues, and answers to today’s NYT Connections (#1,172, August 26, 2026).
After Wordle, Connections is the New York Times’ most popular word game. The rules are simple. You need to find words with a common theme and group them into 4 groups of 4. The 16-word grid is designed with an increasing level of difficulty. The Yellow group is the easiest to spot, followed by Green, Blue, and Purple. The misdirects and red herrings can trip you up, but they also make the puzzle more fun. You can play Connections in the NYT Games app or on the NYT website.
Some tips to solve Connections
Look for the obvious patterns: Not every category in the puzzle is confusing. The Yellow and Green category words are relatively easy to spot. However, if something seems too obvious, it could be a red herring. Typically, the first two categories comprise verbs and adjectives. The misdirects are often nouns.
Double-check your submissions: ‘Do not overthink’ is usually a good tip for solving most puzzles, but it doesn’t really apply to Connections. Before submitting a set of words, you should always check whether they fit somewhere else too.
Hit a dead end? Use the shuffle button: The shuffle button at the bottom of the grid exists for a reason. Placing the words in different positions can spark new connections. Think of it as a mental refresh. New patterns will emerge, and you may be able to find a breakthrough.
Tackle the Purple category with extra caution: The Connections team is known to serve up the toughest and most unexpected words for the Purple category. Here are some of the common tropes that you should look out for:
Homophones (For example: ‘Where’, ‘Wear’, ‘Ware’, and ‘Weir’)
Words within words (For example: ‘Slip’, ‘Hear’, ‘Keyes’, and ‘Undiagnosed’ could be ‘Words containing parts of the face’)
Words minus a letter (For example: ‘Anther’, ‘Easel’, ‘Hark’, and ‘Lama’ could be ‘Animals minus starting letter’)
Words preceded or followed by another word (For example: ‘Face’, ‘Sports’, ‘Note’, and ‘Year’ could be ‘____ Book’)
Here’s your grid for today
PARK
LIME
PIANO
FORTE
LARGO
PRESTO
SIGNATURE
PAGE
GIFT
PHOSPHOROUS
BEHOLD
CHAIN
VOILA
TALENT
SHAZAM
STRENGTH
Hints for NYT Connections (#1,172) August 26, 2026
Let’s get you started with some general, spoiler-free hints.
🟡Yellow Group: Yelled to draw attention.
🟢Green Group: Expertise.
🔵Blue Group: Denoted by a common letter.
🟣Purple Group: Preceded by a common word that means ‘important’.
One Word Per Category (Contains Spoilers)
Can’t seem to find an in? We’ll give you one word from each category.
🟡Yellow Group: Behold.
🟢Green Group: Forte.
🔵Blue Group: Page.
🟣Purple Group: Chain.
List of Themes (Major Spoilers)
Maybe getting to know the common themes among the words will help you spot them faster. Here are all the categories for today.
🟡Yellow Group: “There You Have It!”
🟢Green Group: Knack.
🔵Blue Group: What ‘P’ Might Stand For.
🟣Purple Group: Key ____.
Answers to NYT Connections (#1,172) Today (August 26, 2026)
Close to waving the white flag? Fine, we’ll give you the answers.
🟡Yellow Group: Behold, Presto, Shazam, Voila. (“There You Have It!”)
These words are uttered at a grand revelation or when a performance reaches its climax.
Key Chain (Used to hold keys together), Key Largo (Northernmost island of the Florida Keys), Key Lime (Citrus fruit), Key Signature (Musical notation).
Answers to yesterday’s puzzle (#1,171, August 25, 2026)
NYT’s early testers rated today’s Connections puzzle 1.3 out of 5. This puts it in the easy difficulty level. Let us know how you fared in the comments!
The latest Mac mini models have arrived, boasting M6 and M5 Pro CPUs. The Mac mini integrates the power of macOS 27 with next-gen Apple Intelligence, including Siri AI. These new versions bring substantial improvements, such as up to 4x faster AI processing, double the speed of graphics and storage, and a 40% boost in CPU performance. They’re built to tackle not just the everyday, but also demanding processes like video editing and game creation. Connectivity has been boosted also, with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and better 2.5 Gb Ethernet (10Gb is an option).
Price in India and Availability
The newly introduced Mac mini models feature the M6 and M5 Pro chips, enhancing performance and efficiency. The Mac mini with the M6 chip is priced starting at INR 99,900, while educational users can access a reduced price of INR 88,900. The more powerful Mac mini with the M5 Pro chip starts at INR 2,09,900, with an educational discount bringing it down to INR 1,97,900. Pre-orders for these models are available immediately, and sales will officially begin on September 22.
Specifications and Features
The newest Mac mini models, with M6 and M5 Pro, are now available, providing improved performance and capabilities to meet a range of customer demands. The Mac mini with M6 brings a 12-core CPU and a big single-threaded speed improvement to the Mac mini, making it great for work and creative tasks alike and giving the user a smooth experience. The new 12-core GPU (with Neural Accelerators) delivers up to four times the AI performance and twice the graphics speed of the previous M4 model. The device has 16GB of unified memory, configurable up to 32GB, with a memory speed of 170GB/s for increased multitasking. Performance benchmarks showcase what it can do. It offers up to 13.5x quicker LLM prompt processing in LM Studio against M1, 2.3x faster spreadsheet computations in Excel versus M1, and double the gaming performance in “Cyberpunk 2077” versus M4.
The Mac mini with M5 Pro is targeted at professional users, with an 18-core CPU and a 20-core GPU that’s built for heavy-duty operations, such as app development and video processing. The model boasts advanced GPU capabilities such as upgraded shader cores and third-generation ray tracing providing the perfect fit for detailed 3D design and game development. It’s also got support for up to 64GB of unified memory and 307GB/s of memory bandwidth, so it can take on bigger AI models and more complicated 3D scenes. In terms of performance indicators, it can execute LLM prompts in LM Studio up to 8.5 times quicker, render (Blender with ray tracing) 4.5 times faster and process images (Affinity) 2.1 times faster than the M2 Pro.
Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and 2.5Gb Ethernet with a 10Gb option available. The units come with several USB and Thunderbolt connections. The M6 comes with Thunderbolt 4, while the M5 Pro comes with Thunderbolt 5, enabling clustering of many Mac mini computers for bigger AI models. The new Mac minis also include genlock support via USB-C for syncing displays and cameras, and it works with the newest iPhone 17 Pro.
Besides the new hardware, macOS 27 is also bringing Siri AI to the table, as an enhanced personal assistant that can access personal context in texts, emails and photographs to help users efficiently. This upgrade brings Spotlight Visual Intelligence and context menus throughout the system for improved usability. You can write and edit in many apps using Siri. The company has updated Apple Intelligence to make apps even better — with smarter browsing in Safari and automation tools for shortcuts. The Photos app also gets new photo-editing capabilities, along with speed and search improvements to important features. The Liquid Glass refinements include increased readability, consistent toolbars and updated visuals, providing more opportunities to personalise the user experience.
Nester introduces the Home Cook 6.2L Glass Air Fryer with the unique SteamLock Technology. It’s made with a robust borosilicate glass bowl for added durability and transparency. Furthermore, it has a practical cook-serve-store design, wherein users can cook, serve and store food in the same vessel for added convenience and a more efficient and streamlined cooking process.
The Nester Home Cook SteamLock 6.2L Glass Air Fryer is intended for modern Indian homes and appeals to design-conscious homeowners, young professionals and families. 30.3D x 37.8W x 32.3H cm and a 6.2L capacity, the appliance is as stylish as it is useful, available in a Dalgona Brown colour.
One of the highlights is the unique SteamLock Technology that seals in moisture so food stays tender inside while remaining crisp outside. The high-quality 6mm thick borosilicate glass bowl allows the user to watch the frying process in real-time, giving them more control and avoiding the closed atmosphere of conventional fryers. This design is quite versatile since the bowl can be used for cooking, serving and storage.
The acacia hardwood cover easily transitions from kitchen to dining table to fridge, helping to reduce dishware clutter. Safety design features include sunken bowls to keep the exterior surface cold and side handles that stay cool for safe handling. The appliance has simple one-knob operation for effortless cooking, includes 9 smart presets such as Air Frying, Grilling, and Roasting, and uses an efficient 1600W heating system for accurate temperature control within 10°C of set settings from 40-200°C.
Its unique 30 second auto clean feature removes the hassle of cleaning, flushing away any food remains using water, without any manual washing. The Air Fryer comes with a strong 3-Year VIP Warranty with PAN India Service.
Priced at Rs 16,999, the Nester Air Fryer is available on Nester’s own website, Amazon and Flipkart, making it easily accessible to potential buyers.
Lava introduced its Virat V1 series in India last month with the launch of 4G and 5G models. The Pro 5G variant is set to join the lineup later this month. The base 5G model is powered by the Unisoc T8200 octa-core processor and packs a massive 6,000mAh battery pack. A 6.75-inch IPS LCD panel is on display duty. The entry-level phone is priced at Rs 12,999 (4GB RAM + 64GB storage), which is a tad higher than usual due to the global RAM shortage. We used it for a week to find out if it makes a reliable daily driver. Here is our review of the Lava Virat V1 5G.
The Virat V1 5G has one of the finest back panels in its segment. The geometric matte blocks are divided by thin glossy lines. Not only does it look appealing, but it also offers an amazing in-hand feel. There are 2 colour options on offer – Arya Blue and Sonar Gold. Both shades complement the design nicely. We used the Arya Blue variant for this review.
The square camera island is positioned in the top-left corner of the back panel. It has a see-through plastic trim with a glossy finish. The island does not protrude significantly out of the back panel. This eliminates any bumpiness when the phone is placed on a flat surface. The plastic rails house the volume rocker and the side button on the right, and the hybrid SIM tray on the left edge. At the bottom lie the 3.5mm headphone jack, microphone, USB-C port, and speaker. The device is rated IP64 for dust and water resistance.
The 6.75-inch IPS LCD panel has a 120Hz refresh rate and a 720 x 1,600p resolution. The bezels surrounding the screen get thicker around the chin. Up top, there’s a waterdrop notch to house the selfie camera. The touch response offered by the display is fine for an entry-level phone. The scrolling experience is smooth for the most part. The brightness is optimal for indoor usage. However, in outdoor conditions, the display struggles to maintain legibility under harsh sunlight. There is no under-display optical fingerprint scanner on this phone. The side button steps in for biometric recognition.
We used the Lava Virat V1 5G to stream movies and TV shows across platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and JioHotstar during the review period. The LCD panel produces decent visuals with good colours and dynamic range. The contrast isn’t as punchy as we’re used to on AMOLED displays, but it isn’t a dealbreaker. The single bottom-firing speaker produces surprisingly good audio output. It is able to reach a loud volume level without sounding as boxy as its other budget counterparts.
Lava Virat V1 5G Review: Performance and Cameras
At the heart of this phone lies the Unisoc T8200 octa-core processor. It comes in a single 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant. The good news is that it offers expandable storage up to 1TGB via a microSD card.
We ran a couple of benchmark tests on the device. Here is how it performed.
As you can probably tell by looking at the benchmark numbers, the Virat V1 is no tireless workhorse. This is something you will have to contend with while buying phones in this price bracket. The good news is that the V1 holds up quite well in daily usage. It handles routine tasks like calling, texting, media streaming, and web browsing without any issues. The overall usage is a bit sluggish, but not to the point that it’s rage-inducing. Casual users looking for a reliable daily driver won’t have any problems with this phone.
You can play first-person shooter games like BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile on this phone, but don’t expect any ordinary stuff. The internal settings of these games limit you to medium graphics due to the nature of the platform. The gameplay is fine for the most part, but lag and frame drops are a bit too common. You can feel the back panel warming up after crossing the 15-minute mark.
Virat V1 5G runs Android 16 out of the box. The software is mostly stock Android with sprinklings of Lava’s custom UI on top of it. The presence of the latter is felt the most in the settings interface. It looks inspired by ColorOS/OxygenOS. The good thing about the software experience is that it doesn’t come with any bloatware. There are good customisation options for the lock screen and home screen. Google Gemini is on digital assistant duty, but sadly the phone does not ship with Circle to Search.
The 6,000mAh battery pack on this phone can last an entire day with ease. If you’re a heavy user who racks up over 5 hours of screen time per day, you will not be reaching for the charger in the middle of the day. More conservative users can push the battery life beyond the 1-day mark. The 10W power adapter takes up to 3 hours to fully charge this phone, which is an atrociously slow pace.
The rear camera panel houses a 13MP primary shooter, while the waterdrop notch on the display has a 5MP front-facing camera within it. The rear camera captures good pictures in outdoor lighting conditions. While a lot of budget phones have the tendency to overprocess their images, Lava’s decision to stick with a more natural vibe is admirable. The pictures have a bit of softness to them, but they are usable. In limited lighting conditions, Night Mode takes over to light up the shot, but the results are still pretty grainy.
Portraits taken by the Virat V1 5G are clear, well-focused, and colourful, but the background blur in the shots leaves more to be desired. This isn’t a complaint so much as an observation, as entry-level phones aren’t known for their portrait photography. On the bright side, the 5MP front-facing camera captures clear selfies without messing the subject’s skin tone and texture too much. It can also record 1,080p videos at 30fps. Meanwhile, the main camera can shoot 4K footage at 30fps.
The biggest compliment we can give to Lava Virat V1 5G is that it doesn’t look like an entry-level phone from the back. The design of the plastic back panel is unique without being too gaudy. At a time when tech outfits aren’t able to conjure up something exciting for their budget offerings, the Virat V1 feels like a breath of fresh air.
When it comes to performance, the Unisoc T8200 SoC takes care of daily tasks, but don’t expect it to shine under pressure. You will encounter the odd lag and jitter while multitasking, but that’s something that’s bound to happen on any other entry-level device.
The most underrated aspect of this device is its bloatware-free software. There are a few third-party games hidden away in the ‘Game Centre’ app, but there is no visible bloatware on the main page. The overall software experience is intuitive, clean, and satisfying.
The 6,000mAh battery pack gets you through a day of rough use without demanding to be plugged into a charger midway. The 13MP main camera doesn’t let you down in natural lighting and delivers a solid shot every time. The 5MP selfie camera doesn’t leave any room for big complaints either.
Just a few months after its introduction, Samsung has slashed the price of the Galaxy S26 Ultra in India by Rs 15,000. The price change covers two configurations with different RAM and storage options, both of which have new pricing posted on Samsung’s web shop. The Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with a Snapdragon processor and a unique feature called the Privacy Display to help make users more secure. These revised rates are also seen across several e-commerce sites throughout India, demonstrating a wider market alignment with Samsung’s updated pricing strategy.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra New Prices in India (Samsung India online store)
Samsung halves the beginning price of the Galaxy S26 Ultra in India. The price decreases are applicable for both the 12GB RAM with 256GB storage model that is now priced at Rs 1,24,999 and the higher-end 12GB RAM with 512GB storage option that is now priced at Rs 1,44,999. That’s a Rs 15,000 cut, which is the cheapest price since the device’s introduction. The Galaxy S26 Ultra was launched on February 25, with the basic model beginning at Rs 1,39,999 and the 512GB variant priced at Rs 1,59,999. The new price is visible on Flipkart and Samsung India’s e-store. This price change comes after other Galaxy models, including the F, A and M ranges, had seen price hikes recently.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra New Prices in India (Flipkart Offer)
Flipkart has announced a big price cut on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with a flat discount of Rs 15,000. Flipkart Axis and Flipkart SBI credit card users may now avail of an additional cashback of Rs 4,000. So, the effective price of the Galaxy S26 Ultra would be Rs 1,20,999 after these reductions. The Galaxy S26 series phone pricing has been slashed by a huge Rs 19,000 in total.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra was launched in India in three different configurations, with prices starting at:
12GB RAM with 256GB storage – Rs 1,39,999
12GB RAM with 512GB storage – Rs 1,59,999
16GB RAM with 1TB storage – Rs 1,89,999
Features and Specifications
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with an adjustable refresh rate that can go from 1 to 120 Hz and a peak brightness of 2600 to 3000 nits. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor for Galaxy powers it. This processor uses TSMC’s superior 3nm or 2nm manufacturing process to make it more efficient and powerful. The device comes with either 12GB or 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and it can transfer data at speeds of 10.7Gbps. Users may choose between 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage, which gives them plenty of room for apps, videos, and files. The smartphone runs Android 16 with One UI 8.5, which offers an easy-to-use interface and access to the latest features and security upgrades.
The camera system on the gadget is built on the same hardware as the S25 Ultra, but it has a lot of improvements, especially in sensor technology and aperture sizes, which improve it at taking pictures in low light. The primary camera has a resolution of 200MP and a wide f/1.4 aperture that lets in more light. It also has optical image stabilisation (OIS) and a 2X optical zoom. The ultrawide camera has a 50MP rating and an f/1.9 aperture that is a little narrower.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra also has two telephoto cameras. The first one has a 10MP lens with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and the second one has a 50MP periscope lens with an amazing 10x optical zoom. It also has OIS, but its f/2.9 aperture is a little tighter. The 12MP front-facing camera now has a wider 85-degree field of view, which means that the punch-hole design is bigger, making it easier to frame portrait shots.
The smartphone has a 5,000mAh battery that can charge at 60W wired (up from 45W) and 25W wireless chargers. It also works with Qi2 technology for quicker and easier charging.
If you think that tech has gotten boring in the last few years, you’ve got it all wrong. If you’re looking at the right places, you can find some really cool products that will have people turning their heads. From digital charms to clip-on earbuds, the internet is full of interesting tech. Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’ll sort you out this time. Here are the top 10 cool gadgets and tech products priced under Rs 10,000.
The Oppo Bubble is a round display puck that magnetically snaps onto the back of your phone and acts as a viewfinder for the rear cameras. You can use it to take clearer, more detailed selfies from the primary shooter. The Bubble comes with a case and a hanging clip, which allow you to attach it to your backpacks, essentially making it a digital charm. You can customise it to display a variety of digital pets. While the functional value of this device is pretty limited, its ‘cool’ factor as a little trinket can’t be understated. Read our Oppo Bubble review for the deep dive.
You aren’t really spoilt for choice while buying wireless headphones in the sub-Rs 10,000 price bracket, but the CMF Headphone Pro is one pair that stands out amongst its peers. Its rich and balanced soundstage certainly punches above its weight – we’d even recommend this over a lot of midrange headphones in higher price segments. Its clean and minimal design steers clear of any flashy gimmicks. Instead of touch controls, the headphone employs physical buttons, which is something we appreciate a lot. The Energy Slider on the left earcup can be customised to adjust the bass or treble. The 720mAh battery pack lasts up to 100 hours on a full charge. Read our CMF Headphone Pro review for more details.
The modular design of HyperX’s Pulsefire Saga gaming mouse is pretty cool in our opinion. The top shell, side buttons, and PTFE skates of this mouse are entirely swappable. The retail package comes with additional units of these items. For a gaming mouse, the Pulsefire Saga has minimal and tasteful RGB lighting. Weighing just 69 grams, it is ideal for quick movements and long gaming sessions. The 26K DPI sensor has an 8,000 Hz polling rate. It tracks well on most surfaces and offers smooth, precise, and jitter-free cursor movements that give you the edge in competitive gaming. Read our HyperX Pulsefire Saga review to learn more about its gaming performance.
A second monitor can immediately elevate the aesthetics of your desk. If you have Rs 10,000 to spare for cool tech, we highly recommend going for the Essential Monitor S3 by Samsung. Its 24-inch IPS LCD panel has a 100Hz refresh rate and a 1,920 x 1,080p resolution. The 178-degree viewing angle is ideal for group viewing. There’s also a nifty Game Mode on board. The sleek profile of the monitor ensures that it doesn’t occupy a lot of space on your desk. The wide form factor has a lot of versatility.
Clip-on earbuds have freshly carved out a niche for themselves, but they also come with a hefty price tag. Truke’s TruClips bring the same form factor and performance to a more affordable price segment. This OWS (Open Wireless Stereo) has a C-bridge design which seamlessly attaches itself along the pinna of your ear, just like a clip-on earring. The fit is secure and comfortable. Being an OWS, TruClips allows free passage of ambient sounds. It doesn’t seal the fit with ear tips. You can enjoy your music and be aware of your surroundings at the same time. The 12mm drivers provide a 360-degree spatial soundstage. The earbuds last 8-10 hours on a full charge. Dive into our Truke TruClips review for a deeper analysis of the OWS.
A power bank that can charge your phone a couple of times over is an accessory that you must have in your backpack at all times. Ambrane’s wireless power bank ticks most of the boxes for us. It is sleek, compact, stylish, and snaps onto the back of your iPhone with ease. It also works on Qi-enabled Android devices. Its 10,000mAh capacity is enough to charge your phone two times over. Using a Type-C connection, you can replenish your phone at a speed of 22W. MagSafe wireless charging happens at 15W. The power bank takes up to 3.5 hours to fully top up using a 20W PD charger.
If your TV takes a long time to boot and load streaming apps, you can breathe new life into it with the Amazon Fire TV Stick. Its quad-core 1.7 GHz processor takes the load off your TV and gets rid of long waiting times. The 4K Select variant offers HD streaming for a better visual experience. Its remote control comes with dedicated buttons for Alexa, Prime Video, Netflix, and Amazon Music. Software duties are handled by Vega OS. It offers a clean, vibrant, and accessible interface to jump into different apps and find the TV/movie title you’re searching for. Check out our Amazon Fire TV Stick review to learn more about the device.
A smart speaker can immediately bump up the coolness of your room. Amazon’s 5th-gen Echo Dot is one of the best in the game. It doesn’t require a long time to set up. Once you’ve connected the speaker to a power source and connected it to your Amazon account in the Alexa app, you are good to go. You can get it to play songs, create alarms and reminders, fetch weather info, and more. Since this is a smart speaker, you can link it with other smart devices for easier control. The 5th-gen model has motion detection. It can sense when no one is in the room and turn off the lights automatically. For more details, read our Amazon Echo Dot 5th-Gen review.
Sony ULT Field 1 is a great wireless speaker for indoor and outdoor listening. It is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, so you don’t need to worry about it taking damage when you bring it along to beach and pool parties. Its mesh fabric covering does a great job of keeping the dust particles at bay. The speaker supports Bluetooth 5.3. There are 2 audio codecs on offer – SBC and AAC. The 16mm tweeters produce a thumping audio output. The special ‘ULT’ button takes the bass output to another level. Dive into our Sony ULT Field 1 review for a deeper analysis.
Ending this list is the Huawei Band 11. We prefer this smart band to the smartwatches in this segment due to its sleek and compact form factor, bright AMOLED display, and efficiency. It can track your health metrics round the clock without any hiccups. You can also use it to get your daily step count, sleep cycle breakdown, and other fitness stats. The companion app is intuitive and easy to follow. A full charge gets you up to 10 days of battery life. Read our Huawei Band 11 review for more details.
These are the top 10 cool tech gadgets and products that you can buy under Rs 10,000 in 2026. If you’re looking for something more niche, let us know your areas of interest, and we’ll come up with relevant recommendations. Got any other questions? Feel free to ask in the comments!
Keep the momentum going on Tuesday! The battlegrounds aren’t slowing down, and neither should your loadout. Garena often releases these 12-to-16 character alphanumeric codes to let you get unique skins, jewels, characters and other premium stuff without paying actual cash.
Forget the diamond tax on Luck Royale and get today’s confirmed batch of redemption keys. These supply drops are live now!
Today’s Verified Active Codes (August 25)
BR43FMAPYEZZ
UPQ7X5NMJ64V
S9QK2L6VP3MR
FE2R8T6Y4U1I
FT4E9Y5U1I3O
F7F9A3B2K6G8
FK3J9H5G1F7D
FU1I5O3P7A9S
FP9O1I5U3Y2T
FM6N1B8V3C4X
H8YC4TN6VKQ9
FF6YH3BFD7VT
B1RK7C5ZL8YT
4ST1ZTBZBRP9
4N8M2XL9R1G3
FA3S7D5F1G9H
FFR4G3HM5YJN
6KWMFJVMQQYG
FZ5X1C7V9B2N
Redeem codes are completely case-sensitive and are first come, first served with strict global capacity limitations. If there’s an issue (such “invalid or expired”) the code has likely reached its use limit or is for a different server area (IND, SG, LATAM etc).
Garena has implemented strong safety measures on its server in India to encourage positive gaming behaviour as it faces more regulatory scrutiny. Key rules include:
Age Verification: Players below 18 years of age must verify their accounts with OTP approval from parents.
Playtime Limits: To prevent gaming addiction, kids are limited to 3 hours of playing time each day and to 6 hours for adults.
Break Reminders: The game will provide regular pop-up notifications reminding players to take breaks.
Spending Caps: Minors have restrictions on daily microtransactions in the game (especially for buying diamonds) to curb unauthorised spending.
These measures aim to ensure responsible gaming practices within the community.
Firstly, head to the Garena Free Fire Rewards Redemption Site at reward.ff.garena.com
After that, log in to a linked account (options include Facebook, Google, X, Apple ID, VK, or Huawei ID). [Note: Guests’ accounts are ineligible. So you must link your account to the approved list. Also, if you are using a guest account to play the game, we recommend you link it before it is ineligible.]
Now copy the code from the above list and paste it into the designated text field. [Note: Don’t type the code in manually to avoid any typos.]
Then click ‘confirm’ and wait for a success notification. [Note: Do not enter the same code twice because each code can only be used once per account. Attempting to enter the same code multiple times will result in an error.]
After following the above-mentioned steps, open Free Fire Max on your device and check your in-game mail within 24 hours for items. Diamonds and gold are credited directly to your wallet, while skins and cosmetics appear in the Vault tab.
If you are hunting for the NYT Strands hints and answers for August 25 because your coffee has not kicked in yet and the grid is staring back blankly, you have landed in the right spot. Puzzle number 905 skips the cryptic wordplay Strands sometimes throws at solvers and goes refreshingly literal today, which is either a relief or slightly insulting depending on how your morning is going. Either way, here is the full breakdown, from soft nudge to complete answer key, so you can finish the puzzle and get back to whatever you were procrastinating on.
What is NYT Strands, quickly
For anyone new here, Strands is the Times’ spin on the word search, minus the mindless part. Instead of scanning a static grid for word garbage, you are tracing connected letters that can bend up, down, sideways and diagonally, all built around a daily theme. One special answer, the spangram, always stretches from one side of the board to the other and usually sums up the whole day’s puzzle in a single phrase. Every letter on the board gets used exactly once, so there is no wasted real estate and no dead ends once you have it figured out.
The theme for August 25 leans into the great outdoors. Think adjectives and nouns tied to hiking, camping and generally getting some fresh air away from a screen. If your brain immediately jumped to trails, water bottles and questionable wildlife encounters, you are already on the right track.
A gentle nudge before the spoilers
Before anyone accuses this article of ruining the fun, here is a softer clue first. The words in today’s grid describe things you would pack, see or do on an actual hike, not a metaphorical one. If that alone cracks it open for you, close the tab and go enjoy the win.
NYT Strands spangram answer today
Still here? The spangram runs horizontally across the board, and it is Take A Hike, which is about as directly as a puzzle can wink at you.
Full NYT Strands word list for August 25
Here is the complete answer key for today’s grid:
Path
Canteen
Trailhead
Woods
Wildlife
Marker
Spangram: Take A Hike
Each of those words slots neatly into the outdoor theme, tracing the arc of an actual hike from finding the trailhead to spotting wildlife along the path, with a canteen and a marker along for the ride.
A few habits make Strands faster once you know the theme. Start by scanning the corners and edges of the board, since spangrams almost always touch two opposite sides. Look for shorter, obvious words first to free up letters mentally, then work outward toward the trickier ones. And if you burn through three non-theme words by accident, Strands rewards you with a hint anyway, so guessing is rarely wasted effort.
Getting a repeated letter is usually a trap, but today’s Wordle throws a curveball by repeating a consonant at the very beginning and closing spots. Here are the hints, clues, and solution for Wordle #1893 on August 25, 2026 to help you win today.
Is today’s Wordle #1893 difficult?
Game #1893 is tough because of the rhyming trap. Phrases like “CRANE” or “STARE” only get you a “C,” and suddenly you have grey tiles all around you. The big problem is the repeating “C” and the frequent ending “-CK.” It is important to recognise the letters “L” and “I” early, since it could lead you to spend turns on words like “FLICK” or “SLICK” without understanding the dual role of “C” at the beginning and end. To prevent this, it is best to try strong consonant blends early, so you do not waste a lot of guesswork on the last row.
Quick Starter Tips for Beginners
To improve your ability to predict words in word games, begin by choosing words that have many vowels and common consonants. Good starter guesses are STARE, CRANE, SLATE and AUDIO. Also watch out for double letters. The game will not provide alerts for repeated characters. Tracking letter constraints is crucial: if a letter is indicated as yellow, move it to a different column in your subsequent guesses, while a letter marked green should be kept in its current position for future use.
Hints and Answers for Today’s Wordle August 25
For Wordle #1893, the vowels and consonants are in a certain order. There is 1 unique vowel, I, in the middle. There are 3 distinct consonants (C, L, K) and the typical -CK ending, with the letter C used twice. Phonetically it’s a crisp l(CL-) that rolls into a hard stop (-CK), creating a sharp, snappy single syllable. The rhyming trap level is high; the L I C K layout allows for rhymes like FLICK and SLICK, and the C I C K frame allows for CHICK.
The word begins with a CL- blend and finishes with -CK. The word has a repeat letter, C is the first and fourth letter. The word begins with a C and ends with a K. Its definition is a brief, sharp sound or the action of pushing a button on a computer mouse.
Today’s Wordle Answer: August 25 #1893
The answer to Wordle #1893 on August 25, 2026, is – CLICK.
The word “click” is rather onomatopoeic in origin, it sounds quite like the sharp sound it denotes. The word initially appeared in English in the late 16th century, based on comparable phrases in Old French, such as “clique,” which meant the sound of a clock, and Middle Dutch, “clicken.” The word “click” used to mean a mechanical latch or the act of snapping your fingers. But by the late 20th century the sense had changed to the pushing of a computer mouse button.
Today’s Connections puzzle should not present any significant problems to those who are familiar with pop culture. If you’re not in that camp, you will need some additional help. The good news is that we’ve got your back. As you scroll down, you’ll see some general hints to nudge you in the direction of the answers. Then, you’ll find one word from each category, followed by the list of themes. The answers and their explanations will be waiting for you at the end of the page. So, without further ado, here are all the hints, clues, and answers to today’s NYT Connections (#1,171, August 25, 2026).
Connections is one of the most popular word games from The New York Times, only trailing behind Wordle. The rules of the game are simple. You are presented with a 16-word grid where you’re supposed to find the entries that share something in common. There are a total of 4 groups, each consisting of 4 words, that you must find. The Yellow group is the easiest to spot, followed by Green, Blue, and Purple. Sometimes, there are a couple of red herrings to throw you off and make the puzzle more interesting. You can play Connections in the NYT Games app or on the NYT website.
Here’s your grid for today
SUPERFICIAL
HYPERSPACE
HARLEM SHAKE
LICKETY-SPLIT
RUNNING MAN
TRAFFIC CONE
TIME WARP
LONG WALK
ONE-DIMENSIONAL
PARALLEL UNIVERSE
GREEN MILE
INSIDE SCOOP
COSMETIC
SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
TELEPORTATION
SKIN-DEEP
Hints for NYT Connections (#1,171) August 25, 2026
These words are used to describe something that doesn’t have any depth to it.
🟢Green Group: Hyperspace, Parallel Universe, Teleportation, Time Warp. (Sci-Fi Phenomena)
Hyperspace: A higher plane where starships travel faster than the speed of light. Parallel Universe: An alternative reality. Teleportation: Travelling from one place to another instantly using a portal. Time Warp: An aberration in the flow of time.
🔵Blue Group: Green Mile, Long Walk, Running Man, Shawshank Redemption. (Stephen King Film Adaptation, With ‘The’)
The Green Mile (1999). The Long Walk (2025). The Running Man (1987). The Shawshank Redemption (1994).
NYT’s early testers rated today’s Connections puzzle 2.3 out of 5. This puts it in the medium difficulty level. Let us know how you fared in the comments!
Sony India has announced the IER-M500 in-ear monitor headphones for endurance and high-fidelity music. They are robustly built and sure to last, making them great for professional audio monitoring, as well as regular usage. The headphones provide exceptional noise isolation, improving the entire audio experience. They are also engineered to be securely stable, keeping the earbuds firmly in place during strong performances.
Sony IER-M500 price in India, availability
The new Sony IER-M500 model will be available from 24th August on Amazon, Flipkart, Real Image, Headphone Zone and Sound Glitz and other offline dealers of Professional Audio. The device comes in three colour choices – Black, Red-Blue and Clear and has been priced at a best purchase price of Rs 10,990.
Sony IER-M500 specifications, features
The Sony IER-M500 is for artists and monitor engineers that appreciate mobility and functionality. It has a designated carry bag for simple storage and travelling. One of the unique features of the IER-M500 is the rotating attachment point that enables the user to tilt the earphones in a way that best suits them. A modest matte finish shows it’s a professional, performance-oriented design. And while you’re using them, a lightweight, small cable clip helps to keep the earbuds in place. The wire is well held in this clip, reducing unnecessary noise and providing a smooth experience while moving about and performing.
The Sony IER-M500 in-ear monitors are built to provide excellent noise isolation and high sound quality, making them a great choice for professional performers and audiophiles. They include a completely sealed housing and optimised internal acoustic construction that may greatly reduce outside noise for a full listening experience. The ear monitors are equipped with specially developed ear tips with high sound insulation to improve noise isolation. Equipped with Sony’s patented acoustic technology and high quality components, the IER-M500 reproduces clear, detailed sound throughout low and high frequencies to provide a rich and balanced sound experience.
The Sony IER-M500 earphones are more stable to wear and hence are ideal for different ear shapes. They have special fitting supports that keep the earphones in place even during energetic performances or vigorous moves. In addition to offering multiple sizes of ear tips, it gives the user a pleasant, personalised fit. Designed with ergonomic considerations, the IER-M500 guarantees stability without sacrificing comfort.
Designed for durability and constant performance, the Sony IER-M500 earphones are a great option for professional usage. The earphone model undergoes thorough testing of the cable, which is designed to survive repetitive bending and maintain steady performance over time. They also pass special water-resistance tests developed specifically for the stage environment, so they’ll perform when the going gets tough. Overall, the IER-M500 is a rugged solution for professionals that want long-term performance and dependability from their audio equipment.
Raksha Bandhan is just around the corner. If you haven’t bought a gift for your sibling yet, now is the time to place an order online so you can receive it on time. For those who are thinking of gifting something different this year, we’ve got some interesting recommendations from the world of tech. Let’s dive into the list of top 10 tech gifts for your sister or brother for Raksha Bandhan 2026.
The flip-style foldable in Samsung’s new Galaxy Z series would make an excellent gift for your sister this Raksha Bandhan. The smartphone is powered by Samsung’s in-house Exynos 2600 chipset and runs Android 17-based One UI 9 out of the box. The foldable has a 4.1-inch outer cover display and a 6.9-inch inner display. Both displays use LTPO AMOLED 2X panels. They have a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. The dual camera array of this phone comprises a 50MP primary shooter and a 12MP ultrawide lens.
The 11-inch iPad Pro is the perfect device for watching movies and TV shows in your bed without limiting yourself to the smaller screen size of your phone. Powered by Apple’s in-house M5 chipset, it can do a whole lot more than media streaming. With the right accessories, it can replace your laptop. Its 11-inch Ultra Retina Tandem OLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 1,600 nits. The back panel houses a 12MP main camera. A 12MP front-facing camera is positioned in the bezel along the display for selfie and video calling duties.
Lenovo’s new release in its IdeaPad series is designed for users who value aesthetics just as much as performance. This laptop is just 16.9mm thin along its edges and weighs 1.60kg. At its heart lies the Intel Core Ultra 5 Series 3 processor. There’s 16GB DDR5 RAM and 512GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD storage on board. The 15.3-inch WUXGA IPS display has a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, and is able to reach a peak brightness of 300 nits. The 50Wh battery pack supports 65W charging. Check out our Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 review to learn more about the laptop.
The Watch 3 Pro from CMF is stylish, accurate, and affordable. Its 1.43-inch AMOLED display has a 466p resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. It can reach 670 nits in High Brightness Mode, offering perfect legibility in outdoor conditions. The smartwatch is rated IP68 for dust and water resistance. It is immersible in water up to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes. There is support for 131 sports, exercises, and workout routines on this watch. The addition of dual-band GPS allows the user to leave their phone at home while going on hikes and runs. The 350mAh battery pack can last up to 13 days of regular use. Dive into our CMF Watch 3 Pro review for a deeper analysis.
The Dyson Airstrait works as a hair dryer and straightener at the same time. It uses a steady airflow instead of hot plates to do its job. This reduces the time spent drying hair by 8 minutes (for the average user). As a straightener, the Airstrait maintains hair volume and protects shine. There are 3 modes on offer – Wet to Dry (80°C, 100°C, and 115°C), Dry (100°C and 115°C), and Boost (130°C). The airflow temperature is regulated 16 times per second. This prevents hair breakage and further damage.
You can never go wrong by gifting your sibling an iPhone. The base model in the current iPhone 17 series is powered by Apple’s in-house A19 chipset. Its 6.3-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate. This panel can reach a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. The dual camera array on the back panel has 48MP sensors for the primary shooter and ultrawide lens. An 18MP front-facing camera is placed in the Dynamic Island on the display. The 3,692mAh battery pack supports USB-C and wireless charging.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is the best Android tablet around. Its 14-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 1,600 nits. MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400+ chipset lies under the hood of this tablet. The back panel houses a 13MP primary shooter and an 8MP ultrawide lens. A 12MP front-facing camera is housed inside a small notch on the display. The 11,600mAh battery pack supports 45W wired charging.
The specced-out ExpertBook Ultra is made for users who want a powerful machine to slide into their backpacks and carry along wherever they go. This laptop is powered by the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, which is part of the company’s Panther Lake lineup. With 64GB of RAM and a 2TB Gen 5 NVMe SSD on board, performance is never an issue. The 70Wh battery pack supports 90W charging. The flagship Tandem OLED panel has a Corning Gorilla Matte coating. Read our Asus ExpertBook Ultra review for more details.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 is the king of Android smartwatches. Its 1.52-inch Super AMOLED display can reach an incredible 400 nits of peak brightness. The Sapphire crystal glass protecting this display can guard it against heavy knocks. The smartwatch is also compliant with MIL-STD-810H durability standards. It is rated IP68/IP69K for dust and water resistance. It is swimproof/diveproof up to 40 metres. Powering the watch is the Snapdragon SW6100 Wear Elite chipset. Software duties are handled by Android Wear OS 7 skinned with One UI Watch 9.
Ending this list is an invaluable tech gift for readers – the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. The 12th-gen version of the e-reader flaunts a 7-inch glare-free e-ink display with a 1,264 x 1,680p resolution and 300PPI pixel density. It is illuminated by 12 white and 13 amber LEDs. The 16GB internal storage capacity allows you to store thousands of books on the device. A Kindle Unlimited subscription gives you access to over 2 million books. A full charge gives you 12 days of battery life. Read our Kindle Paperwhite review to learn more about the device.
These are the top 10 tech gifts for sisters and brothers on Raksha Bandhan 2026. If you’re looking for some niche products, let us know in the comments. We’ll respond with the relevant recommendations.
Lava has announced the Lava Virat V1 Pro 5G in India as the third member of the Virat series. It is offered in two colour options: Sikkim Midnight and Spiti Frost. The smartphone is backed by a Unisoc CPU with 6GB of RAM and has a massive 6,000mAh battery. It also has a dual back camera setup housed inside a square-shaped module. The gadget will be soon available for purchase on Flipkart.
Price in India, Availability
The Lava Virat V1 Pro 5G is available in India for Rs 15,999. It will come in two colours – Sikkim Midnight and Spiti Frost. The effective price comes down to Rs 13,999 with a bank discount of up to Rs 2,000. The smartphone will go up on sale on August 31 at 12 noon and will be available for purchase via Flipkart.
Specifications, Features
The Lava Virat V1 Pro 5G comes with a 6.75-inch HD+ LCD touchscreen display which has a resolution of 720 x 1,600 pixels. The screen refreshes at 120Hz for smoother visuals and interactions and has a pixel density of 260 ppi for better clarity. Also, the device has an IP64 classification, which means it is well protected from dust and light spills, making it a sturdy purchase for regular use.
Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by an octa-core Unisoc T8200 processor with a max clock speed of 2.6GHz. It comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which provides enough memory and capacity for performance. Under the hood, the gadget is powered by the Android 16 operating system to provide a smooth and efficient software experience.
The Lava Virat V1 Pro 5G has a dual back camera setup which contains a 50-megapixel AI camera as the main camera and another camera as the secondary camera. It has an 8MP front-facing camera for selfies and video calls.
If you want your handset to last long, then Lava has launched the Virat V1 Pro 5G smartphone with a powerful 6,000mAh battery. In terms of connection, it comes with a full suite of advanced connectivity options such as 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.4, USB Type-C, and GPS to ensure compliance with current network standards. The device is also equipped with a broad set of sensors including an accelerometer, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor providing improved security, a gyroscope, a geomagnetic sensor, an ambient light sensor and a proximity sensor, providing users with a robust functionality and better user experience.
Apple’s much-anticipated September event is just around the corner, likely on September 9. This year, Apple will hold a “Pro-only” event instead of announcing regular base models alongside high-end products, as it has done for the last decade. Therefore, the entry-level iPhone 18 launch has been delayed until early next year.
Apple’s iPhone Launch Timeline (Expected)
Apple hasn’t sent the official invites yet, but history and the calendar give us an obvious picture of the schedule:
The Event: Wednesday, September 9, 2026. Apple prefers Tuesdays, but with U.S. Labour Day on Monday, Sept. 7, they will probably shift the keynote back a day to facilitate travel.
The Announcement: Look out for the mysterious press invitations to drop precisely two weeks from now, around August 25 or 26.
Pre-orders: Likely Saturday, September 12. Apple often opens pre-orders on Fridays but doesn’t typically release on the September 11 anniversary.
Retail Launch: Friday, September 18.
In its fall marketing, Apple has always focused on its base models to spur sales, but this year’s plan has been changed since the launch of new devices has been delayed a bit. The whole industry is suffering from a massive memory scarcity, which has delayed the iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and the second-generation iPhone Air until spring 2027. As component prices rise, manufacturers are moving away from standard options to focus on those with better margins.
Thus, Apple’s September event will offer only three ultra-premium smartphones – the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the new foldable iPhone Ultra. In a major break from prior years when the regular models ruled, the iPhone 18 Pro will be the base option in Apple’s current-generation line-up for the holiday season.
Apple traditionally starts pre-orders on Fridays, but there’s a pattern of not releasing on the anniversary of September 11.
The upcoming iPhone 18 Pro is expected to be much more expensive for Indian buyers owing to a huge hike in the cost of components. According to TrendForce’s supply chain analysis, the gadget is expected to be priced 38% more than its predecessor, driven by increased memory pricing and the new 2 nanometre manufacturing process for the A20 Pro processor. Apple may absorb part of those expenses, but total pricing for the gadget is expected to go up.
The debut price of the iPhone 17 Pro was set at Rs 1,34,900, and it is rumoured that the iPhone 18 Pro would begin at about Rs 1,39,900, with predictions that costs might increase to as high as Rs 1,50,000. Besides, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to be launched with a basic price ranging between Rs 1,54,900 and Rs 1,70,000. This trend marks a huge change in Apple’s pricing strategy of its flagship handsets in the Indian market.
The new 2nm A20 Pro chipset brings significant performance and efficiency improvements, improving the hardware performance. The Dynamic Island on the Pro versions will also be smaller, and the Pro models are expected to include 12GB of RAM, allowing for heavy-duty on-device AI processing. Also in the package will be a new variable aperture 48-megapixel main camera sensor.
Today’s Connections grid seems like an easy solve, but it has a couple of sneaky misdirects that will surely trip you up. You can avoid this by using the hints we’ve curated for you to navigate the minefield. If that doesn’t help, we’ve also got one word from each category and the list of themes to sort you out. The answers and their explanations are provided at the bottom of the page. Here are all the hints, clues, and answers to NYT Connections today (#1,170, August 24, 2026).
The New York Times has a thriving online word game section, with Connections being the second-most-played title behind the crown jewel, Wordle. The rules of this game are simple – you need to find 4 groups comprising 4 words each in a 16-word grid. The words in each group are united by a common theme. The Yellow group is the easiest one to spot, followed by Green, Blue, and Purple (toughest). Sometimes, there are red herrings and misdirects in the grid to throw you off your game, so don’t take your thinking cap off at any time! Ready to lock in? You can play Connections in the NYT Games app or on the NYT website.
Here’s your grid for today
SOLE
DESERVE
MAIN
EYELET
HEEL
PRIME
EX-LOVE
ARCH
MULLET
KAYFABE
BESET
PIKE
FACE
TANG
CHIEF
JOBBER
Hints for NYT Connections (#1,170) August 24, 2026
Face: Good guy. Heel: Villain or bad guy. Jobber: Wrestler who makes up-and-coming talent seem legitimate by losing to them. Kayfabe: The art of making staged pro-wrestling performances seem real.
NYT’s early testers rated today’s Connections puzzle 3.3 out of 5. This puts it in the hard difficulty level. Let us know how you fared in the comments!
Garena has released new Free Fire MAX redeem codes on August 24, 2026 that users can use to enhance their gaming experience immensely. These free supply drops will be rewarded to players who are playing the modes like Clash Squad or those playing the Bermuda map. Instead of buying diamonds with real money, players can now use the newly-issued alphanumeric codes to quickly unlock various products including weapon loot boxes, customized cosmetic skins and Luck Royale coupons. This allows users to enhance their inventories, and get a competitive advantage on the battlegrounds without spending any more money.
The Free Fire MAX redeem codes are case sensitive and have global claimability as well as regional server limitations. Also, if you get an “invalid or expired” error, it might be that the code has surpassed its maximum use or it’s for another regional server (e.g., IND, SG, LATAM). It is advisable to copy and paste codes to prevent mistakes.
Free Fire MAX can be legally played in India and is available for download on the Google Play Store. The Indian government banned the original Free Fire in February 2022 under Section 69A of the IT Act, citing national security concerns, alleging it shared data with Chinese servers. However, Free Fire MAX has been able to circumvent the prohibition since it is a separate application run by Singapore-based Garena with different background routing. Thus, the huge player base of the old game has moved to Free Fire MAX, moving their accounts, skins and rankings using Garena’s “Firelink” technology.
Firstly, head to the Garena Free Fire Rewards Redemption Site at reward.ff.garena.com
After that, log in to a linked account (options include Facebook, Google, X, Apple ID, VK, or Huawei ID). [Note: Guests’ accounts are ineligible. So you must link your account to the approved list. Also, if you are using a guest account to play the game, we recommend you link it before it is ineligible.]
Now copy the code from the above list and paste it into the designated text field. [Note: Don’t type the code in manually to avoid any typos.]
Then click ‘confirm’ and wait for a success notification. [Note: Do not enter the same code twice because each code can only be used once per account. Attempting to enter the same code multiple times will result in an error.]
After following the above-mentioned steps, open Free Fire Max on your device and check your in-game mail within 24 hours for items. Diamonds and gold are credited directly to your wallet, while skins and cosmetics appear in the Va
Don’t allow a double-letter puzzle break your Monday streak. Here are the hints, clues and final answer for Wordle #1892 on 24 August 2026 to help you clear the board quickly.
Is today’s Wordle #1892 difficult?
Game #1892 is a double letter difficulty, notably with the double ‘N’. The first guesses using familiar phrases such as CRANE or STARE often provide the ‘R’, clearing the board for the second guess. Later, players may often employ the _ U N N Y pattern and attempt B, F or S (BUNNY, FUNNY, SUNNY) letters to find suitable words.
It is useful to identify the main vowel pattern early, and participants are encouraged to look for duplicate consonants before making their final guesses.
Hints and Answers for Today’s Wordle August 24
The target word has these characteristics: It includes duplicate letters. The letter N occurs twice. It begins with the letter R. It finishes with the letter Y. The meaning of the term is an adjective denoting anything that “tends to flow or run easily; watery or fluid in consistency. There is one real vowel, U, with a suffix Y, the structure being one centre vowel followed by a Y sounding like a long E. The consonant configuration consists of two different consonants (R and N), the nasal consonant (N) is repeated in the middle and at the end. It starts with a soft, rhotic sound (R-) and then moves into a nasal double-stop (-NNY). This gives the word an energetic, familiar adjective that is often heard in everyday language.
Today’s Wordle Answer: August 24 #1892
The answer to Wordle #1890 on August 24, 2026, is – RUNNY.
The adjective runny is derived from the verb ‘run’, which comes from Old English rinnan and has Germanic roots, with the suffix -y. This suffix usually makes verbs or nouns that are connected to physical acts or things into adjectives that show a predisposition to be that way. The first use was in regional languages to denote fluid liquids, or un-set meals. The word “runny” is now conventional contemporary vocabulary and has broadened to refer to anything that is fluid or leaky.
To improve your ability to predict words in word games, begin by choosing words that have many vowels and common consonants. Good starter guesses are STARE, CRANE, SLATE and AUDIO. Also watch out for double letters. The game will not provide alerts for repeated characters. Tracking letter constraints is crucial: if a letter is indicated as yellow, move it to a different column in your subsequent guesses, while a letter marked green should be kept in its current position for future use.
Garena Free Fire MAX redeem codes today, August 23 2026, are once again the hot topic among the battle royale title’s massive global player base, and for good reason. These twelve to sixteen-character strings are the closest thing free-to-play gamers get to a treasure chest, unlocking everything from weapon loot crates and character bundles to the occasional stash of diamonds without anyone having to touch their wallet. If you have spent even one match wishing your gloo wall looked a little less basic, today’s batch is worth your two minutes.
What Exactly Are Free Fire MAX Redeem Codes
For readers new to the ecosystem, redeem codes are promotional strings issued by Garena through its official Rewards Redemption portal. They are not cheat codes and they will not make anyone a headshot machine overnight. What they do offer is cosmetic and currency rewards such as gun skins, outfits, emotes, gloo wall designs and sometimes gold or diamonds, delivered straight to a player’s in-game mailbox or Vault section once redeemed successfully. Garena rotates these codes frequently, and each one typically works for a limited window before it either expires or hits its redemption cap.
Garena Free Fire MAX Redeem Codes For Today, 23 August 2026
Based on the latest batch of codes reported as active and working across trackers and community sources, here is what players can try redeeming today. As always with time-sensitive drops, some codes may already be running low on the first-come, first-served counter, so quicker is better.
FF7TRD2SQA9F
FF2VC3DENRF5
FZ5X1C7V9B2N
FT4E9Y5U1I3O
FP9O1I5U3Y2T
FM6N1B8V3C4X
BR43FMAPYEZZ
UPQ7X5NMJ64V
FA3S7D5F1G9H
FK3J9H5G1F7D
FU1I5O3P7A9S
F7F9A3B2K6G8
S9QK2L6VP3MR
RD3TZK7WME65
ZRW3J4N8VX56
A quick heads-up before anyone starts copy-pasting. Not every code works for every server, and Garena frequently ring-fences certain drops for specific regions. If a code throws up an error, it is most likely already exhausted, expired, or simply not meant for your account’s linked server rather than a typo on your end, though double-checking for stray spaces never hurts.
How To Redeem Free Fire MAX Codes Today
The process itself takes barely a minute once you know the drill.
Head over to the official Free Fire MAX Rewards Redemption website.
Log in using the account linked to your game profile. Facebook, Google, X, Apple ID, VK, and Huawei ID are all supported. Guest accounts unfortunately cannot redeem anything.
Copy one of the codes above and paste it into the redemption box exactly as it appears, since these are case-sensitive.
Hit confirm and wait for the on-screen prompt confirming success.
Rewards usually arrive within a few hours, though Garena’s own guidance suggests allowing up to 24 hours during busier periods. Diamonds and gold get credited automatically, while skins, bundles, and other cosmetic items show up in the in-game Vault or mail section.
Things Worth Remembering
Redeem codes are essentially a first-come, first-served affair, so players who wait until evening often find their favourite code already maxed out. It is also worth noting that these codes never require any payment information or personal details beyond your standard game login, so anyone asking for card numbers or OTPs in the name of a redeem code is running a scam, not a giveaway. Sticking to Garena’s own portal remains the safest route.
It is also fair to say the redeem code system has aged into something of a ritual for Free Fire MAX’s community. Every single day, a new set of codes appears, gets shared across social media and gaming forums within minutes, and vanishes just as quickly once the redemption cap is hit. There is a small thrill in refreshing the page, hoping your code has not already been claimed by half the internet, and honestly, in a mobile gaming economy built almost entirely around microtransactions, a daily dose of free loot feels like a rare, if modest, win for the ordinary player.
If you are hunting for the Wordle answer today, you have landed in the right corner of the internet. Puzzle number 1891 has sent a fair few solvers into a staring contest with their own keyboard, and if your grid is looking more red than green right now, do not panic. This one rewards patience rather than luck, and a couple of well placed hints should get you across the finish line without spoiling the fun entirely.
Why Wordle still has everyone hooked
It is genuinely a little wild that a word game with zero ads, zero loot boxes and one single puzzle a day has managed to stay part of the daily routine for millions of people years after it first went viral. No infinite scroll, no dopamine loop engineering, just five letters and a bit of quiet competition with your group chat. That simplicity is exactly why it refuses to fade, and why the hunt for the correct answer trends every single morning without fail.
Before the big reveal, here is what today’s puzzle is willing to give up.
The word has two different vowels tucked inside it.
None of the letters repeat, so cross off any doubles from your guesses.
Think in terms of time gone by. The vibe of this word is less “modern gadget” and more “back in the day.”
The opening letter belongs to a word you would use if you were describing your grandparents’ era rather than anything happening this year.
If those clues alone are enough, go test your guess now. If you would like the letter itself before the full reveal, here it is.
The first letter, if you need one more nudge
Today’s word begins with the letter O. Combine that with the “old times” theme from the earlier hint and you are probably only one or two guesses away from a solve.
A quick word on starting words
There is no single magic opener that guarantees a win, whatever anyone tells you. What actually helps is picking a first guess loaded with common vowels and consonants, something that gives you real information rather than a lucky green square. Words that mix in letters like S, T, R, N or L alongside two vowels tend to earn their keep early in the game, which matters more on trickier puzzles than this one.
What happened to the old Wordle archive
If you are new to the game and wondering whether you can binge every past puzzle, the answer is a little complicated. The full open archive that let anyone replay old puzzles for free was pulled down a while back. The New York Times, which now owns Wordle, runs its own archive instead, but it sits behind a NYT Games subscription rather than being free for everyone.
Enough stalling. The answer to Wordle 1891 for August 23, 2026, is:
OLDEN
As in “the olden days,” a phrase your parents probably use more than you do. Fitting, considering the entire puzzle was quietly pointing at nostalgia the whole way through.
If you are hunting for NYT Strands answers today, you have landed on the right page. Puzzle number 903, live for Sunday, August 23, 2026, sends players on a word search through one of literature’s oldest road trip stories, and it manages to be trickier than it first looks. Whether you like to solve these boards cold or want just enough of a nudge to keep your streak alive, here is everything you need, laid out from gentle hints to the full spoiler.
What Is Today’s Strands Theme
The theme for today’s puzzle is “An epic journey,” and once you spot the pattern, the whole board starts to feel like a pop quiz on Homer. It also lines up neatly with the cultural moment, since Christopher Nolan’s big-screen take on the same story, starring Matt Damon as the wandering king himself, has spent the summer dominating IMAX screens and box office charts worldwide. NYT Strands has a habit of riding these cultural waves, and today is a good example of the puzzle team paying attention to what people are already talking about.
Before the spoilers arrive, here are a couple of gentler hints for anyone who wants to keep some of the fun of discovery.
The spangram points to a classic tale that recently got a big-budget adaptation on the big screen, complete with real IMAX film cameras and a cast stacked with A-listers. The remaining theme words are all nouns pulled straight from that same story, the kind of names you would recognize from a high school literature class even if you have never read the original text cover to cover.
Spoiler Warning
Everything below this line reveals the full solution. If you would rather work it out yourself, this is your last chance to look away.
Today’s Strands Spangram and Answers
The spangram for puzzle 903 is THEODYSSEY, running the length of the board and tying the whole theme together.
The theme words hiding around it are
SIRENS,
CYCLOPS,
SHIP,
KING,
SUITORS and
UNDERWORLD,
each one a callback to a different stretch of Odysseus’s long and messy trip home.
A Quick Walkthrough
Players who dove in today reported that CYCLOPS tends to show up near the top of the grid, with SHIP and KING clustered close together on the right side of the board. THEODYSSEY itself usually reveals itself starting from the bottom right corner, while SIRENS sits toward the upper left. UNDERWORLD tends to anchor the bottom row, which feels oddly fitting given what it represents in the story. SUITORS is often the last piece players lock into place, rounding out a board that rewards a bit of patience over brute-force guessing.
Strands is the New York Times word search that hides a theme inside a scrambled letter grid instead of handing you a plain list of words. Every puzzle carries a clue phrase describing the day’s theme, and buried inside the board is a spangram, a single word or phrase that stretches fully across the grid from edge to edge and spells out that theme most directly. Every other themed word radiates outward from letters that can connect in any direction, up, down, sideways or diagonally, and no letter gets reused once it has been claimed.
Guess a word that is not part of the theme but is still a real four-letter word or longer, and the game quietly banks it toward a hint. Rack up three of those non-theme finds and a hint button lights up, ready to highlight one full theme word for you, though you will still have to trace the correct letter order yourself. Unlike Wordle, there is no way to lose Strands and no ticking clock, which makes it a far more relaxed way to spend a coffee break than its more famously stressful cousin.
The phrase “best zoom camera phone” hides several different needs. A traveller may want a clear photo of a temple facade from across a road. A wildlife enthusiast may need reach without moving closer to an animal. Someone in the upper tier of a stadium wants a recognisable face rather than a digitally sharpened outline. The right phone depends on how it balances optical reach, stabilisation, low-light performance and price – not on the largest digital zoom number printed on the box.
Four premium phones currently define that choice in India: OPPO Find X9 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, vivo X300 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Each takes a different route to long-range photography.
The short answer
For buyers who put native long-range reach first, OPPO Find X9 Ultra is one of the strongest options. Its dedicated 50MP 10x optical telephoto reaches an equivalent focal length of about 230mm, supported by sensor-shift stabilisation. It also has a separate 200MP 3x telephoto for portraits and medium-distance subjects. That two-telephoto arrangement gives the phone a practical bridge between everyday framing and extreme reach.
Samsung offers a more conventional 3x and 5x optical system, backed by 10x optical-quality zoom and up to 100x digital zoom. vivo concentrates on a high-resolution 200MP 85mm telephoto and offers optional telephoto extenders for users who want a camera-like kit. Apple uses 4x and 8x telephoto options and puts particular emphasis on a consistent photo-video workflow.
Zoom hardware at a glance
Phone
Long-range approach
Stabilisation and useful range
Official India price at time of writing
OPPO Find X9 Ultra
50MP native 10x optical telephoto, about 230mm; separate 200MP 3x telephoto
2-axis OIS on the telephoto cameras; sensor shift on the 10x system; 20x optical-quality and up to 120x digital zoom
INR 1,69,999, 12GB + 512GB
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
3x and 5x optical telephoto cameras
10x optical-quality zoom and up to 100x digital zoom
From INR 1,39,999
vivo X300 Ultra
200MP 85mm ZEISS telephoto
OIS; optional 200mm and 400mm equivalent extenders
Listed from INR 1,59,999
iPhone 17 Pro Max
48MP telephoto with 4x and 8x framing options
Sensor-shift stabilisation and an integrated photo-video workflow
From INR 1,49,900
Specifications are useful for narrowing a shortlist, but they do not replace a side-by-side test. Processing, autofocus, subject movement and light level can change the result significantly.
Why native 10x changes the OPPO proposition
Most phones reach very long focal lengths by cropping a shorter optical lens and rebuilding detail computationally. OPPO Find X9 Ultra instead uses a quintuple-prism periscope structure to fit an approximately 230mm optical path inside the phone. Light is redirected several times before reaching the sensor, allowing a native 10x view without requiring a thick camera body.
That matters most between roughly 10x and 20x. A bird across a wetland, a performer on a distant stage or architectural detail high on a monument can occupy more of the sensor before digital enlargement begins. The 10x unit uses a 1/2.75-inch sensor and an f/3.5 aperture, so it still needs reasonable light. At dusk or indoors, the 200MP 3x telephoto, with its larger 1/1.28-inch sensor and f/2.2 aperture, may produce the more dependable image.
This is also why the largest digital zoom number should not decide the purchase. Up to 120x can help with identification or framing, but it is not the setting to use when image quality matters. For photographs intended for sharing or printing, 3x, 10x and selective use of 20x are the more useful ranges.
Which phone suits which user?
OPPO Find X9 Ultra makes the clearest case for users who regularly photograph distant subjects and want a true long optical focal length without carrying an add-on lens. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra remains attractive for people who prefer a gradual 3x-to-5x progression and an established all-round flagship experience. vivo X300 Ultra is aimed at photographers who value a high-resolution 85mm look and are open to carrying an imaging grip or telephoto extender. iPhone 17 Pro Max is compelling for creators whose still photographs need to fit smoothly into a broader video and editing workflow.
Price also changes the answer. OPPO Find X9 Ultra is a premium specialist rather than an affordable zoom phone. Buyers searching for a budget 4K or low-cost telephoto device should look elsewhere in the market. Its value lies in the combination of a 200MP main camera, 200MP 3x portrait telephoto and native 10x optical system.
Verdict
There is no single winner for every photographer, but OPPO Find X9 Ultra deserves a place near the top of an India zoom-camera shortlist. Its strongest advantage is not the 120x headline. It is the ability to move from a large-sensor 3x camera to a dedicated 10x optical lens, with stabilisation at both focal lengths. For wildlife, travel, concerts and stadium use, that optics-first approach gives it a distinctive advantage over phones that rely on a shorter telephoto lens for most long-range shots.
If you’re going into today’s Connections puzzle thinking that one of the groups is related to school projects, let us just stop you right there. You are going in the wrong direction. Instead of wasting your limited attempts on guesses, use our spoiler-free hints to submit answers with logical consistency. If that doesn’t work, we’ll give you one word from each category, followed by the list of themes. If you’re on your last attempt and just want the answers, you will find them at the end of the page. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the hints, clues, and answers to today’s NYT Connections (#1,169, August 23, 2026).
After Wordle, Connections is the New York Times’ most popular word game. The rules are simple. You need to find words with a common theme and group them into 4 groups of 4. The 16-word grid is designed with an increasing level of difficulty. The Yellow group is the easiest to spot, followed by Green, Blue, and Purple. The misdirects and red herrings can trip you up, but they also make the puzzle more fun. You can play Connections in the NYT Games app or on the NYT website.
Some tips to solve Connections
Look for the obvious patterns: Not every category in the puzzle is confusing. The Yellow and Green category words are relatively easy to spot. However, if something seems too obvious, it could be a red herring. Typically, the first two categories comprise verbs and adjectives. The misdirects are often nouns.
Double-check your submissions: ‘Do not overthink’ is usually a good tip for solving most puzzles, but it doesn’t really apply to Connections. Before submitting a set of words, you should always check whether they fit somewhere else too.
Hit a dead end? Use the shuffle button: The shuffle button at the bottom of the grid exists for a reason. Placing the words in different positions can spark new connections. Think of it as a mental refresh. New patterns will emerge, and you may be able to find a breakthrough.
Tackle the Purple category with extra caution: The Connections team is known to serve up the toughest and most unexpected words for the Purple category. Here are some of the common tropes that you should look out for:
Homophones (For example: ‘Where’, ‘Wear’, ‘Ware’, and ‘Weir’)
Words within words (For example: ‘Slip’, ‘Hear’, ‘Keyes’, and ‘Undiagnosed’ could be ‘Words containing parts of the face’)
Words minus a letter (For example: ‘Anther’, ‘Easel’, ‘Hark’, and ‘Lama’ could be ‘Animals minus starting letter’)
Words preceded or followed by another word (For example: ‘Face’, ‘Sports’, ‘Note’, and ‘Year’ could be ‘____ Book’)
Here’s your grid for today
ANTIFREEZE
VACUUM
BAKING SODA
VOLCANO
VINEGAR
VODKA
TINDERBOX
POTATO BATTERY
SKIING
HOME FRIES
CLUB SODA
POWDER KEG
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
BAZAAR
VISCHYSSOISE
TIME BOMB
Hints for NYT Connections (#1,169) August 23, 2026
A powder keg can explode when it gets too hot or comes in contact with a flame. A tinderbox causes a minute explosion in the form of sparks that light a flame. Time Bomb and Volcano are pretty self-explanatory.
NYT’s early testers rated today’s Connections puzzle 2.3 out of 5. This puts it in the medium difficulty level. Let us know how you fared in the comments!
Quickly climbing the Trending chart, Grow a Chicken Fighter is one of the most popular games on Roblox right now. It lets you hatch eggs to raise chickens and then train them to fight. Your chicken is placed against chickens at its level. The more skilful and resilient player comes out on top. To give you the edge in these battles, the game offers some special codes that can be redeemed for free rewards. Here are all the Grow a Chicken Fighter codes that are up for grabs in September 2026.
If you like this game, you will also like Slap Battles and Knockout on Roblox. While you’re here, take a look at the latest RUNAWAYS codes as well.
Bookmark this page to get the latest Grow a Chicken Fighter codes as soon as they are released. Visit the Gaming section on our website for more Roblox codes, hints and answers to NYT word games, and other fun stuff!
RUNAWAYS is Roblox’s very own mini GTA. In this game, you’re a criminal on the run who’s looking to get the cops off your tail. In the process, you have no choice but to rob anything you can to facilitate your move across the border. If you’re new to the game, you can use a couple of special codes to get a head start. Here are all the RUNAWAYS codes that are up for grabs in September 2026.
You can use the Credz for updates and in-game purchases. You can earn additional free stuff by claiming daily rewards and spending more time in the game.
Looking for more fun gaming experiences on Roblox? We highly recommend checking out Catch and Tame and Midnight Chasers: Highway Racing. While you’re here, take a look at the latest +1 Speed Monkey Escape codes.
Bookmark this page to get the latest RUNAWAY codes as soon as they are released. Visit the Gaming section on our homepage for codes from other Roblox titles, hints and answers to daily NYT word games, and more fun stuff!
