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Sonic Superstars looks set to continue where the Genesis games of the 90s left off. It's being conceived as a new style for the side-scrolling part of the series, which will go on to run alongside the mainline 3D games. 

From what we've seen so far, the style of Sonic Superstars is similar to that of the 2.5D sections of games like Sonic Forces and Sonic Generations. And while the game technically has a 3D art style, it definitely harks back to the original Sonic the Hedgehog games. There are even four playable characters to enjoy, as well as the return of a fan-favorite villain.

Here's everything we know about Sonic Superstars so far, including a look at gameplay, playable characters, latest news, and trailers. As new details are revealed, this page will be updated. For now, Sonic Superstars might just be one of the most-anticipated upcoming games on the horizon, especially where platforms are concerned.

Sonic Superstars - Cut to the chase

• What is it? A new side-scrolling Sonic game based on the games of the 1990s
• When does it come out? Late 2023
• What can I play it on? PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
• Who is making it? Sonic Team, Arzest

Sonic Superstars release date and platforms

(Image credit: Team Sonic)

Unfortunately, there is no Sonic Superstars release date to mark in the calendars yet. We do know that it is set to arrive in 'Late 2023' but further details have yet to be revealed. In terms of platforms, Sonic Superstars will launch on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC. We'll be sure to update this page once we hear more, but given the current release window, it should be sooner rather than later.

Sonic Superstars trailers

The latest full Sonic Superstars trailer we have received is the announcement trailer. This sets the scene for what to expect from a brand-new side-scrolling Sonic game. Check it out below:

We've included some more trailers for Sonic Superstars throughout this article. If you're looking for more, including some excellent developer interviews related to Sonic Superstars, head on over to the official Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube channel.

Sonic Superstars gameplay

So far, we've seen a fair bit of gameplay for Sonic Superstars, and it looks to be a great evolution from the original Sonic The Hedgehog games. It's a 3D art style that takes place on a 2D plane. You'll visit 12 Zones featuring classic side-scrolling gameplay.

In terms of characters, so far we know about Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Eggman, Fang, Trip, and Amy. Of those, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy are playable, each with a distinctive play style. There are seven Chaos emeralds to collect across the acts, which are directly tied to the game's powers.

Sonic Superstars story and setting

(Image credit: Sega)

Sonic Superstars takes place on North Star Islands, where Eggman has sent Fang the Bounty Hunter to cause trouble. Sonic and friends must stop him from wreaking havoc, by collecting Chaos Emeralds and defeating him and his allies. Eggman has a new ally in the form of Trip, an armored character that has yet to be fully revealed in terms of how they tie into the story. This all looks set to be your standard Sonic story, with Amy, Tails, and Knuckles all tagging along for the ride.

Sonic Superstars latest news

All Chaos Emerald powers revealed in GameInformer interview
In an interview with GameInformer, Sonic Team creative officer Takashi Iizuka detailed the powers that you can expect to use in Sonic Superstars. Check out the full interview for more details.

That's everything we know about Sonic Superstars so far. For more on other games coming to Nintendo Switch in the future, check out our new Switch games list.

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With the dust beginning to settle from the huge Samsung Unpacked 2023 event, we can turn our attention towards what Samsung might have planned next: and a smart ring seems to be in the company's near future.

As per a report from South Korean outlet The Elec (via SamMobile), mass production on a Samsung Galaxy Ring could begin as early as August, with a decision imminent on the schedule for getting the wearable manufactured and out to consumers.

A full launch is slated for some point during 2024 though, rather than 2023. The nature of the device means that it'll need to clear several regulatory hurdles before it can go on sale and start tracking various vital statistics.

An early 2024 launch would put the Galaxy Ring on a similar schedule to the Samsung Galaxy S24 – and it would therefore make sense to launch both gadgets at the same time, perhaps in January or February if Samsung follows its 2023 routine.

The story so far

Rumors around a Samsung Galaxy Ring have been swirling since at least last year, when a Samsung patent emerged pointing towards some kind of smart ring from the company: one that would measure everything from steps to heart rate.

After the patent came the trademark filing earlier this year, mentioning the Galaxy Ring by name and describing it as a smart device "for measuring health indicators and/or sleep in the form of ring" (forgive the translation from Korean).

Then the speculation went up another notch earlier this month, with news of Galaxy Ring prototypes that have apparently been tested. As we reported at the time, the prototypes were at an advanced stage and were being judged on their stability.

All of these signs point in the same direction and suggest that the Samsung Galaxy Ring is going to be here sooner rather than later. Right now the third-generation Oura is perhaps the most well-known smart ring, and it gives you an idea of what the Galaxy Ring might do.

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It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. 

Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's good fun, but also difficult.

What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keeping it fresh in the form of a new variant called the Daily Sequence, which sees you complete four puzzles consecutively, rather than concurrently. 

But Quordle is tough, so if you already find yourself searching for Wordle hints, you'll probably need some for this game too. 

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #553 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

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 #553) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #553) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

• The total number of vowels across today's Quordle answers is 7.

Quordle today (game #553) - hint #3 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #553) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

• The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 11.

Quordle today (game #553) - hint #5 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #553) - hint #6 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 2.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #553) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• C

• S

• T

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

Quordle today (game #553) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #553, are…

• SQUAT
• CHOSE
• SNORT
• THERE

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

---

Daily Sequence today (game #553) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #553, are…

• TEASE
• CARRY
• PENNY
• DEBUT

---

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #552, Sunday 30 July: SHAWL, WRITE, ALONG, DEMON
• Quordle #551, Saturday 29 July: VALUE, ALONG, ALIVE, LEAST
• Quordle #550, Friday 28 July: TOTEM, BASAL, PULSE, COUCH
• Quordle #549, Thursday 27 July: EVADE, SPICE, FLOAT, ALIGN
• Quordle #548, Wednesday 26 July: INDEX, TAKER, CURVE, PEACH
• Quordle #547, Tuesday 25 July: HAIRY, ROWDY, QUARK, LIMIT
• Quordle #546, Monday 24 July: STUFF, HIPPO, LIVER, BLINK
• Quordle #545, Sunday 23 July: ENTRY, GIDDY, STAMP, VOMIT
• Quordle #544, Saturday 22 July: BEFIT, JIFFY, ARENA, TOUCH
• Quordle #543, Friday 21 July: ROUND, TEPID, LIVER, IRATE
• Quordle #542, Thursday 20 July: ENTER, TRULY, USUAL, CIVIL
• Quordle #541, Wednesday 19 July: WORST, KAYAK, HENCE, ZEBRA
• Quordle #540, Tuesday 18 July: DEBUT, HOARD, SILLY, UPPER
• Quordle #539, Monday 17 July: LUPUS, ALIVE, SALLY, ABLED
• Quordle #538, Sunday 16 July: STEAM, SALTY, SLOOP, TRUSS
• Quordle #537, Saturday 15 July: CYCLE, FALSE, FRILL, HEAVY
• Quordle #536, Friday 14 July: LIBEL, CABLE, WREAK, SCOPE
• Quordle #535, Thursday 13 July: BASTE, QUERY, SNAIL, PEARL
• Quordle #534, Wednesday 12 July: VOICE, MANGA, FROTH, BLOAT
• Quordle #533, Tuesday 11 July: MODEL, AISLE, LIMBO, TULLE

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

Where Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day, Quordle presents you with four puzzles to solve. And rather than complete them in turn, you do so simultaneously. You get nine guesses, rather than the six for Wordle, but the rules are otherwise very similar. 

It's played online via the Quordle website and you can also get to it via the Merriam-Webster site, after the dictionary purchased Quordle last year. 

As with Wordle, the answers are the same for every player each day, meaning that you're competing against the rest of the world. And also as with Wordle, the puzzle resets at midnight so you have a fresh challenge each day.

The website also includes a practice mode - which I definitely recommend using before attempting the game proper! - and there are daily stats including a streak count. You also get Quordle Achievements - specific badges for winning a game in a certain number of turns, playing lots of times, or guessing particularly hard words.

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

The rules of Quordle are almost identical to those of Wordle.

1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.

2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow. 

3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray…

4. …BUT the word you guess appears in all quadrants of the puzzle at the same time, so an A could turn green in one square, yellow in another and gray in the final two. 

5. Answers are never plural.

6. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.

7. Each guess must be a valid word in Quordle's dictionary. You can't guess ABCDE, for instance.

8. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses and there is no equivalent of Wordle's Hard mode.

9. You have nine guesses to find the Quordle answers.

10. You must complete the daily Quordle before midnight in your timezone.

What is a good Quordle strategy?

Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can't blindly throw letters at it and expect to win - you'll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That's the case in Wordle too, of course, but it's even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won't want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words. 

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options - you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe - but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you're faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options - for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH - you'll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options. 

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It's risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it's the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure - you simply don't have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.

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Depending upon your viewpoint, we have good news or bad: Assassin's Creed Mirage will take around 20 hours to complete.

For some, this will be welcomed news, allowing people to dive headfirst into an Assassin's Creed adventure, knowing they won't have to dedicate months of their free time to get to the end.

This will be disappointing for others, though, as Assassin's Creed games have traditionally offered a lot of bang for their buck and provided hundreds of hours of entertainment. 

According to lead producer Fabian Salomon, however, who spoke to YouTuber Julien Chièze earlier this week, the upcoming Assassin's Creed adventure can be completed in 20 hours if players rush through, and around 30 hours for players who take their time and complete every mission.

"Given that we do a lot of playtesting internally at Ubisoft, it's part of our process, we really want to get as close as possible to the players, so we'll say that the latest playtimes we've received average at around 20-23 hours," Salomon said, as translated by PCGN.

"That can go up to 25-30 hours for the completionists, and we'll say that those who will be rushing the game will be around 20 hours."

Given prior instalments like Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Odyssey roughly take around 60 hours to get through the main campaign – and double that if you commit to completing all the side missions and extra collectibles, too – that means Mirage will be around a fifth of the length of its predecessors.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is finally sending the series back to its roots with classic traversal and poses that look like something straight out of the first Assassin's Creed title. 

ICYMI, rumor has it Ubisoft is rebooting Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag. According to recent reports, Ubisoft's remake of the 2013 sea-shanty smasher is "still in its earliest stages" but reportedly involves the team based at Ubisoft Singapore. 

If true, it's an interesting decision, not least because Ubisoft is also set to debut another all-new swashbuckling franchise, Skull and Bones. Yes, the pirate adventure was recently delayed once again, but it's nonetheless set to release sometime in 2023-2024 – which may give Ubisoft the litmus test it needs to assess the appetite for the Black Flag reboot. 

The best Assassin’s Creed games often offer it all: A hero you can’t help but root for, oodles of intrigue, a beautiful part of the world to explore, and some of the best stealth and RPG combat up for grabs. Here are our picks of the best Assassin’s Creed games: every series entry ranked. Where does your favorite Assassin's Creed tale rank?

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Blizzard has confirmed that buffs for Diablo 4's Sorcerers and Barbarians are on the way.

In yet another fireside chat with senior members of the Diablo 4 development team - associate game director Joe Piepiora, lead class designer, Adam Jackson, director Joe Shely, and associate director of community management, Adam Fletcher - the group addressed the most pressing issues arising from Patch 1.1.0, and revealed what changes players should expect when Patch 1.1.1. rolls out on August 8.

Front and center were changes to Diablo 4's classes. While the team says no class will go unloved, players maining Sorcerers and Barbarians should expect to see the biggest improvements after big nerfs adversely affected the strength and resilience of those classes.

"We want to kind of improve the effectiveness and fun of the Sorcerer and Barbarian," lead class designer Adam Jackson explained in the presentation. "Our goal is to find a way – and we're working on it right now – for all those different ways of dealing damage to have a lot of parity."

When Patch 1.1.1 is deployed, Sorcerers should find it easier to survive in late-game activities with the removal of some detrimental item effects, and Barbarians will get more Fury to invest in their skills. We can expect positive changes to their Unique items, too.

A new stash tab is also on the way, along with the ability to stack up to 99 Elixir. You'll also find it cheaper to respec, too, as the costs will be coming down around 40 per cent. There'll also be improvements to the range and reliability of the Legendary drops you get after level 35.

Other changes are also on the way, but Blizzard says it needs more time to work on things like the Necromancer minion builds, so expect those changes in further down the line (thanks, PC Gamer).

Diablo 4's Season of the Malignant started on July 20, offering new threats, a self-contained story, and brand-new ways to customize your wanderer. When you encounter an elite monster in Season of the Malignant, there's a chance that a malignant version of that monster will also spawn, complete with scary new powers and weird tentacle things. 

Still not sure if Diablo 4 is worth your time?

"Perhaps Diablo 4’s most adventurous quality is the move towards an open world in the 'modern' sense," we wrote in our Diablo 4 review.

"What could have been a featureless, bland expanse is, instead, a delight. Brimming with intrigue and danger, the open world of Sanctuary fits the Diablo formula like a glove, providing the space in which the game’s macabre aesthetic and bold mechanical design cohere beautifully."

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Highly-anticipated sequel Path of Exile 2 has been delayed.

Whilst the action-RPG had been expected sometime later this year, developer Grinding Gear Games has now confirmed that the game won't even be ready for closed beta testing until June 2024.

Asked by Eurogamer why the project and its original beta test had to be delayed, director Jonathan Rogers said, "It's a lot of things. I, more than anyone, was hoping for a 2023 beta date as well. We honestly were extremely naive to think that we were going to hit the dates that we previously had."

To sweeten the news, the team did confirm that Path of Exile 2 – which started out as an expansion for Path of Exile before breaking away to become a separate, standalone game – will offer closed beta testing from June 7, 2024, and testing will "last months, for sure".

"And in terms of what [the beta testing] will be: it will be the game, the whole game. It's not just going to be 'oh here's the first act' or anything like that - it's going to be the game.

"The beta will be the last chance we have to fix any remaining balance mistakes," he added. "Action-RPG communities are pretty serious business when it comes to balance changes once the game is released - you have to be really careful about that stuff. So we want to have a pretty significant beta to make sure that we're not going to screw any of this stuff up."

As Cat recently summarized for us, reminiscent of Diablo 4, Path of Exile offers a more granular experience than its counterpart from Blizzard Entertainment. 

Though clearly in the realm of dark fantasy, Path of Exile 2 distinguishes itself from Diablo 4's distinctive art style by focusing on eldrich horror plucked right out of H. P. Lovecraft rather than the more biblical motifs of Diablo. 

But if Grinding Gear Games succeeds in meaningfully iterating on the genre's staples, its upcoming title could well earn a place amongst the best RPGs of recent years. 

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We're expecting the Google Pixel Watch 2 to appear in the not-too-distant future, and the leak of new watch faces for the wearable would seem to suggest that the device is indeed about to be unveiled.

These watch faces come courtesy of Android Authority, and there are four in total. They're all going to be exclusive to the second-gen watch apparently, and they all offer plenty of options in terms of the way they can be customized.

The four watch faces are Accessible, Analog Bold, Arc, and Bold Digital, and we've embedded a quick look at them below. If the rumors are true, we'll be seeing these watch faces and the attached smartwatch in October at the Pixel 8 unveiling.

While it's disappointing that these faces won't make it to the original Pixel Watch launched last year, it's also worth bearing in mind that Google has pushed several new features to the wearable in recent months.

More watch faces to look forward to (Image credit: Android Authority / Google)

Those watch faces in full

First up in the leaked watch faces we have Accessible: it's very plain and simple, and easy to read, and you can have a variety of complications alongside the time (including the current watch battery level and the date.

Then there's Analog Bold, which has a chunky hour hand, chunky numbering, and a variety of color options to pick from. The face can be customized in a variety of ways, showing the date and alarms if necessary.

The Arc watch face is a more complex one, with six variants in total. These variants change the number of complications you get and where they're positioned, and control the display of different elements like the date.

Lastly in the leaked watch faces we have Bold Digital, which is based on one of the lock screen clocks recently added to Pixel phones running Android 13. Again you've got a few options to choose from in terms of colors and complications.

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Germany vs. Colombia: How to Watch FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 Game Live From Anywhere - CNET

The two-time world champions take on the South Americans in Sydney.

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Best VPN Service 2023: VPNs Tested by Our Experts - CNET

The best VPNs for private streaming, gaming and torrenting, rated by our expert staff.

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It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. 

Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's good fun, but also difficult.

What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keeping it fresh in the form of a new variant called the Daily Sequence, which sees you complete four puzzles consecutively, rather than concurrently. 

But Quordle is tough, so if you already find yourself searching for Wordle hints, you'll probably need some for this game too. 

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #552 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

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 #552) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #552) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

• The total number of vowels across today's Quordle answers is 7.

Quordle today (game #552) - hint #3 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #552) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

• The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 14.

Quordle today (game #552) - hint #5 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #552) - hint #6 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #552) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• W

• A

• D

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

Quordle today (game #552) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #552, are…

• SHAWL
• WRITE
• ALONG
• DEMON

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

---

Daily Sequence today (game #552) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #552, are…

• CRASS
• COMMA
• MANIC
• BILLY

---

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #551, Saturday 29 July: VALUE, ALONG, ALIVE, LEAST
• Quordle #550, Friday 28 July: TOTEM, BASAL, PULSE, COUCH
• Quordle #549, Thursday 27 July: EVADE, SPICE, FLOAT, ALIGN
• Quordle #548, Wednesday 26 July: INDEX, TAKER, CURVE, PEACH
• Quordle #547, Tuesday 25 July: HAIRY, ROWDY, QUARK, LIMIT
• Quordle #546, Monday 24 July: STUFF, HIPPO, LIVER, BLINK
• Quordle #545, Sunday 23 July: ENTRY, GIDDY, STAMP, VOMIT
• Quordle #544, Saturday 22 July: BEFIT, JIFFY, ARENA, TOUCH
• Quordle #543, Friday 21 July: ROUND, TEPID, LIVER, IRATE
• Quordle #542, Thursday 20 July: ENTER, TRULY, USUAL, CIVIL
• Quordle #541, Wednesday 19 July: WORST, KAYAK, HENCE, ZEBRA
• Quordle #540, Tuesday 18 July: DEBUT, HOARD, SILLY, UPPER
• Quordle #539, Monday 17 July: LUPUS, ALIVE, SALLY, ABLED
• Quordle #538, Sunday 16 July: STEAM, SALTY, SLOOP, TRUSS
• Quordle #537, Saturday 15 July: CYCLE, FALSE, FRILL, HEAVY
• Quordle #536, Friday 14 July: LIBEL, CABLE, WREAK, SCOPE
• Quordle #535, Thursday 13 July: BASTE, QUERY, SNAIL, PEARL
• Quordle #534, Wednesday 12 July: VOICE, MANGA, FROTH, BLOAT
• Quordle #533, Tuesday 11 July: MODEL, AISLE, LIMBO, TULLE
• Quordle #532, Monday 10 July: FILET, DULLY, IRATE, NOSEY

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

Where Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day, Quordle presents you with four puzzles to solve. And rather than complete them in turn, you do so simultaneously. You get nine guesses, rather than the six for Wordle, but the rules are otherwise very similar. 

It's played online via the Quordle website and you can also get to it via the Merriam-Webster site, after the dictionary purchased Quordle last year. 

As with Wordle, the answers are the same for every player each day, meaning that you're competing against the rest of the world. And also as with Wordle, the puzzle resets at midnight so you have a fresh challenge each day.

The website also includes a practice mode - which I definitely recommend using before attempting the game proper! - and there are daily stats including a streak count. You also get Quordle Achievements - specific badges for winning a game in a certain number of turns, playing lots of times, or guessing particularly hard words.

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

The rules of Quordle are almost identical to those of Wordle.

1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.

2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow. 

3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray…

4. …BUT the word you guess appears in all quadrants of the puzzle at the same time, so an A could turn green in one square, yellow in another and gray in the final two. 

5. Answers are never plural.

6. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.

7. Each guess must be a valid word in Quordle's dictionary. You can't guess ABCDE, for instance.

8. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses and there is no equivalent of Wordle's Hard mode.

9. You have nine guesses to find the Quordle answers.

10. You must complete the daily Quordle before midnight in your timezone.

What is a good Quordle strategy?

Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can't blindly throw letters at it and expect to win - you'll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That's the case in Wordle too, of course, but it's even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won't want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words. 

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options - you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe - but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you're faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options - for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH - you'll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options. 

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It's risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it's the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure - you simply don't have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.

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Classic Korean real-time strategy game, Kingdom Under Fire, has allegedly been "hijacked by a crypto-scam company".

As spotted by Twitterer Tegiminis, Steam player Arsene Lupin – who's on a crusader to "write a review for every game in [their] Steam library" – posted a review on the game's Steam page, reporting that the "future is here, and it sucks" and claiming that whilst Kingdom Under Fire "was" a "RTS/RPG hybrid that launched in 2001", its current iteration runs "Locus Game Chain" in the background when you're trying to play, "demanding 80-100% of your CPU".

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the developer, Bloom Technology, was quick to respond and posted a wall of text explaining there had been "a misunderstanding" and that the developer has replaced the 22-year-old's RTS' P2P networking system - previously known as wargate.net - with its own, Locus Chain.

kingdom under fire, a korean rts on steam that originally released in 2001, has apparently been hijacked by a crypto scam company that says the blockchain acts as the master server lol pic.twitter.com/G1YNkeGyt1July 28, 2023

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"This technology will be a stepping stone and an excellent example of how online game developers, who sometimes go out of business because of high server maintenance costs, can save up tons of money and focus on building the games," the developer said. "Old online games can be revived at no significant costs, while modern online games can significantly reduce their service maintenance costs as well.

"As far as we know, Kingdom Under Fire is the first successful attempt to apply and operate a blockchain node as part of the game, so I understand that this is as misleading as it is unprecedented. Kingdom Under Fire was launched free through Early Access because of the need to test the environment in real-time. You can see the progress we have achieved so far and the track record in the Updates section on Steam to gauge how we actually make use of this new tech."

Interestingly, the game currently sits on an aggregate Steam user score of "Very Positive" – albeit from just 150-odd reviews – although another unhappy player surmises their issue with the game a little more concisely than Arsene Lupin, simply saying this in their review: "Blockchain go home".

Bloom Technology says: "Kingdom Under Fire: War of Heroes utilizes Locus Game Chain to provide online multiplayer capability without the need of an online game server. The game does not support cryptocurrencies or NFTs, and has complied with all Steam's guidelines and regulations." 

There is seemingly no mention of blockchain in the game's About section or its system requirements. 

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Newly leaked information for the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Fan Edition) indicates the upcoming budget smartphone may charge very slowly – at least wirelessly.

A listing for the device recently appeared on the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), a website created to promote wireless charging and its various standards. It shows the GalaxyS23 FE has been given a “maximum received power” rating of 4.4 watts. According to some theorizing by 9to5Google, it may take “three or more hours” to fully charge the phone using a wireless charger. There’s no information on how long it would take to charge through a USB-C connection. 

That’s certainly a long time just to charge a smartphone battery, especially in 2023. Anker, a company specializing in power banks and charges, states the average charge for a phone is around 30 minutes to an hour. So what gives? We don’t really know. Although to be fair, there is a good chance Samsung will equip the Galaxy S23 FE with tech to boost its charging capabilities. The last time the company launched a Fan Edition phone was Galaxy S21 FE, which supports 15W wireless charging. That’s not greased lighting, but it’s still better than what we’re seeing in this leak. 

Imminent launch

It is worth pointing out Justin Hume, Vice-President of Samsung Mobile in South Africa, recently told Android Authority that “there is an FE-sized gap between the Galaxy A54 5G and Galaxy S23”. Hume goes on to say there will be “an announcement made” for a new Fan Edition device. He never gives a date; although the WPC post has a registration date of July 25. Some online theorize the date could mean Samsung is finishing up its paperwork before formally announcing the model. 

Putting two and two together, there's a good chance the reveal is coming sooner rather than later.

The listing also has what appears to be an image for the S23 FE on someone’s desk. The quality isn’t great, but it does showcase the front of the phone displaying the bezels around the screen plus the buttons on the right side. There’s no photo of the the rear, unfortunately, so what the rear lenses look like remains a mystery. Recent renders suggest the Galaxy S23 FE will have a camera system similar to the standard Galaxy S23.

As always, take this information with a grain of salt. We do believe the S23 FE will have better wireless charging capabilities even if the WPC post says otherwise. Presuming Justin Hume’s statement is true, the world will know for sure soon.

Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best cheap smartphones for 2023.  

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Samsung’s $1300 Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra may seem like an overpriced entry into the Android tablet market – but there’s a pretty good reason Samsung released such an expensive device. It sells better than you’d expect.

According to Samsung in an interview with TechRadar, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra accounted for 30% of the Tab S8 series, with most users opting to use it for productivity over consumption, at least in comparison to the Tab S8 and Tab S8 Plus.

Samsung’s Junho Park, VP (Director of Global Product Planning), told Techradar, “Customers are using the S8 Ultra for both productivity and entertainment, but the proportion of customers using the tablet for productivity is higher than the equivalent figure for the rest of the Tab S8 series.”

In other words, while the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra accounted for a third of total Tab S8 sales (Despite its price difference), users who selected it were intentional with their choice. Samsung says that people were more likely to be productive on the Tab S9 Ultra than other devices. And if you check out our Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review, it’s pretty obvious why. Samsung did a great job of building an iPad Pro rival. The optimized One UI software, powerful hardware, and elegant keyboard accessory all came together to build a competent laptop replacement. There’s just one problem: laptops still exist.

Can a tablet really be productive?

With the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra and the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, Samsung certainly hopes you think the answer is yes. Whether it’s true or not will depend on you. In my experience, tablets can be productive in a pinch. I’m not opposed to the concept. I have a OnePlus Pad with a keyboard and full access to Android apps. I've used a BlackBerry PlayBook to write school essays. I was a big advocate of being productive on a tablet with Microsoft’s Surface Pro. Excellent as the Surface Pro 9 and the (short-lived) Surface Pro X were, I’m now a big believer in the right tool for the job.

When it comes to productivity, laptops have an inherent advantage. They are built for working first and foremost. They come with keyboards and trackpads. They have access to peripherals and all sorts of extensible ports. They can run all software ever, whether directly as on Windows, or through systems like Parallels if you’re using one of the best MacBooks or best Chromebooks. More than a Tab S9 Ultra can ever dream of, a real computer like the MacBook Pro or the Surface Laptop is a versatile workhorse.

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