Mini CrosswordNYTIn case you missed Fridays NYT Mini, you can find the answers here:The NYT Mini is a quick and dirty version of the newspaper's larger and long-running crossword. Most days, there are between three and five clues in each direction on a five by five grid, but the puzzles are sometimes larger, especially on Saturdays.Unlike its larger sibling, the NYT Mini crossword is free to play on the New York Times website or NYT Games app. However, youll need an NYT Games subscription to access previous puzzles in the archives.The NYT Mini is a fun daily distraction that usually takes no time at all. I try to beat the standard weekday grid in less than a minute. But sometimes I can't quite figure out one or two clues and need to reveal the answer.To help you avoid doing that, here are the NYT Mini Crossword answers (spoilers lie ahead, of course):MORE FOR YOUNYT Mini Crossword Clues And AnswersACROSS1) Streak of lightning - BOLT5) Flowers with "tiger" and "trumpet" varieties - LILIES7) Surface to stretch on - YOGAMAT8) Condition treated with exposure and response prevention therapy, for short - OCD9) "Rocks," to a bartender - ICE10) "Wait, seriously?!" - WHATTHE12) Actress with a record number of Oscar nominations (21) - STREEP13) Assists - AIDSDOWN1) Information sets used in machine learning and predictive analytics, collectively - BIGDATA2) Portuguese greeting - OLA3) Not infinite - LIMITED4) Shows the ropes to - TEACHES5) Scottish bodies of water - LOCHS6) Like some prices and roller coaster drops - STEEP7) "That really hurts!" - YOW11) Prefix with -ceratops - TRINYT MiniNYTWhat a puzzle today, really large for the mini and a lot of tougher ones like Yow and What the as you just...wouldnt really place those in a normal puzzle clue situation. I thought Lilies were Orchids for a minute which messed everything up. Tiger Orchids are a thing right? I knew Meryl Streep, of course, but yeah, this was a pretty hard one all things considered.Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.

Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based software suite with programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.Microsoft 365 was formerly called Microsoft Office, and used to be a one-time purchase.Microsoft 365 has a variety of subscriptions with different costs, but there are also free versions.If you have, at any time in the past few years, worked in an office, gone to school, or generally been alive, you have probably used myriad Microsoft 365 products. And the same is true, relatively speaking, even going back several decades.That's because Microsoft 365 is a 2010 rebranding of Microsoft Office, the suite of software that included venerable programs like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint, among others.Whereas you used to access that software via the Windows operating system, today Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based service accessed remotely via a paid subscription.What programs does Microsoft 365 feature?Microsoft 365 goes well beyond the basic word processing, spreadsheet-making, and presentation designer software that has been around since the 20th century.Along with the aforementioned programs, 365 also features OneDrive, a cloud storage service for keeping files secure, Teams, which is a collaboration software that allows for video meetings, live chat, file sharing, and more, Skype, the video call platform, and Outlook, which is Microsoft's email service.How much does Microsoft 365 cost?There are different plans at different rates. You can pay $9.99 per month for a Microsoft 365 family plan which allows up to six users to share one account, with that price adding up to $119.88. Or, you can pay $99.99 one time to save on a year-long subscription.A one-person Microsoft 365 Personal plan costs $6.99 per month, which is $83.88, or you can pay once and get a year for $69.99.Can you get Microsoft 365 for free?Microsoft 365 is available for free in a few ways, though most have some limitations. There is a free version of Microsoft 365 that can be used in a web browser. Users must sign up for a Microsoft account with an existing or new email address to access Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and so forth.You can also get a free download of the Microsoft 365 Access Runtime files, but this is available only in downgraded 32-bit and 64-bit versions.Students and teachers can get Microsoft Office 365 Education for free with a valid school email address, and all users can sign up for a one-month free trial of a Microsoft 365 subscription. Just make sure to cancel ahead of the next billing cycle.How to cancel Microsoft 365?Canceling Microsoft 365 takes just a few steps:Sign in to the Microsoft account you used to purchase Microsoft 365, select Services & subscriptions from the dashboard, and click Manage to cancel or modify the Microsoft 365 subscription. You can cancel or upgrade your Microsoft 365 subscription from the "Services & subscriptions" section of your Microsoft account. Michelle Mark/Business Insider Select Cancel subscription (it might say Upgrade or Cancel).Review the additional information on the page, and at the bottom select I don't want my subscription, then confirm the cancellation.What's the difference between Microsoft 365 and Office Suite?The real differences are the pay model and the way you access the software. The classic Office Suite was a one-time purchase that gave you programs (Word and Excel, e.g.) that you could use offline any time you wanted.Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based service that you primarily use online (you can use 365 programs offline, but the saving may not be reliable) and that you will pay for each month or once a year.

By Todd Feathers Published January 10, 2025 | Comments (1) | Elon Musk, left, and Sam Altman, center, during the "What Will They Think of Next? Talking About Innovation" event at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on October 6, 2015 in San Francisco, California. Mike Windle/Getty Images for Vanity Fair Federal antitrust regulators on Friday added weight to portions of Elon Musks lawsuit seeking to prevent OpenAI from restructuring itself into a fully for-profit company.In a brief filed with a federal court in California, attorneys for the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justices antitrust division did not directly support Musks claims that OpenAI and Microsoft have colluded in an anticompetitive de-facto merger, but they did urge the court to be skeptical about one of the defenses made by OpenAIs legal team. OpenAI began as a non-profit, funded in part by Musk, and then converted itself into a for-profit company controlled by a non-profit board of directors. It is now planning to completely separate from that non-profit board and become a public benefit corporation, allowing it to be fiduciarily responsible to investors rather than beholden to a charitable mission.A key contributor to OpenAIs growth and the pressure for it to become a profitable business has been the more than $13 billion in investments and other support its received from Microsoft, a publicly traded company that competes in the AI market. Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn, is a member of Microsofts board and was a member of OpenAIs board until March 2023. A top Microsoft executive, Dee Templeton, was a non-voting member of OpenAIs board from November 2023 until July 2024.Musk has argued that the Microsoft representatives positions on the OpenAI board violated federal antitrust laws that prohibit someone from serving on the governing board of competing companies, which is known as an interlocking directorate. OpenAI has responded by saying the argument is moot because neither Hoffman nor Templeton are members of OpenAIs board anymore. The FTC and DOJ lawyers, however, wrote that ending an interlocking directorate, e.g., by having a person resign from a corporate board, is not sufficient, on its own, to moot a claim under Section 8 of the Clayton Act. In resolving this matter, the Court should avoid holding otherwise. The federal agencies did not weigh in on Musks many other allegations, including that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman misled him and conspired with Microsoft to convince investors not to fund Musks own AI startup, xAI.While the lawsuit has often taken the tone of a soap opera feud between billionaires, the FTC and DOJ filing is another sign that regulators have a close eye on OpenAIs transition plans. Delawares attorney general has filed a brief in the case and said she will take action if she believes OpenAI is violating the law and Meta has asked the California attorney generals office to block OpenAIs restructuring.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published January 10, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published January 10, 2025 By Matt Novak Published January 9, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published January 9, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published January 9, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published January 8, 2025

Jan 11., 2025: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

As Genshin Impacts Natlan hit servers, many players expected to receive the Pyro Traveler along with the release. In previous regional releases, players could unlock the respective elemental Traveler by resonating with the Statue of Seven upon arrival. However, its not as simple as it seems in Genshin Impacts Natlan.

Marvel Rivals had a significant launch roster, with Season 0 including over thirty different characters to play across the Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist roles. Each and every one of these characters also has a unique set of cosmetics, with more gradually being added to the game with each new season and event that comes and passes. These skins can be obtained in a variety of ways, such as from Twitch drops, as Battle Pass rewards, awarded by completing in-game challenges, inputting codes, and shop purchases.

In certain manhwa where the villain is an obnoxious character that pursues selfish goals, readers will have a hard time trying to relate to them. But in a few select cases, the villains' actions make sense when the plot reveals their background. What happens when an evil character is worthy of redemption?

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.After the release of the Google Pixel 9 last fall, the Pixel 8 lineup dropped in price, as was expected. However, the unlocked 128 GB Pixel 8 Pro has never before reached its current price of $599 (originally $999), a 40% discount off the retail price of $999. That's the lowest price the device has reached, according to price-tracking tools. While the Pixel 8 Pro isn't the latest Pixel, it is still considered one of the best Android phones for 2025, according to CNET. Google Pixel 8 Pro $599.00 at Amazon $999.00 Save $400.00 Get Deal Get Deal $599.00 at Amazon $999.00 Save $400.00 You'll get about nine hours of battery life from the Pixel 8 Pro; a 50MP, 48MP, 48MP rear camera; and a 10.5MP front-facing camera. The OLED screen is 6.7 inches with a 2,992 by 1,344-pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The peak brightness hits 2,400 nits, a big jump from the previous version. You can read more about it on PCMag's "excellent" review.The Pixel 8 Pro is still a great phone in 2025, with support for tons of AI features that make the phone feel fresh even a year after its release. Google has also been working hard to patch up the vulnerabilities on their Pixel phones as far back as the Pixel 6, meaning the Pixel 8 Pro will be supported with software updates for a while (as long as seven years). Google also keeps dropping new Pixel features every few months, including the Audio Magic Eraser, which gets rid of distracting sounds in videos, and the Best Take feature, which lets you pick the best shot from a series of photos. While the new Pixel 9 lineup may seem enticingthe most basic model, the 128 GB Pixel 9, starts at $626 (originally $799), also a great price for an excellent phoneif you value performance and the camera over design and features, you're better off saving yourself the money for a nice case.

I am good at many things, but managing my money isn't always one of them. My New Year's resolution is to be more financially responsible, but the truth is I've been working on it for a while. One of the most useful strategies I devised is using multiple bank accounts to budget. Here's why (and how) I do it, and why it might work for you, too.Different bank accounts slow me down and help me see where my money is goingIn the same way I use a variety of Google accounts to carry out different kinds of work in dedicated browsers, I use a few different bank accounts to divide my money, though I use "bank account" to describe a few things that might not technically be bank accounts. Two are traditional ones, one through the bank I grew up with in my hometown and another through Chase. The other two are digital, my Venmo and Chime accounts. For all four, I have an app, a debit card, and, crucially, a plan. For my regular paychecks, I elected to have my payouts be disbursed 70/30 between the account with the bank back home and my Chime account, respectively, though portions from both are also automatically earmarked for savings. Money I earn from teaching spin classes goes into Chase, as does money I earn from personal projects or freelancing. Money in Venmo is just regular money in Venmo, acquired when someone pays me back for something or I occasionallybut rarelytransfer some in there. "Serious" expenses, like bills, groceries, and student loans, pull straight from the account I've had back home since I got my first job in tenth grade. I leave that debit card out of my wallet most of the time so I don't even touch it unless it's an emergency. The 30% of my regular paycheck that hits the Chime account is spent on things that are fun, like personal upkeep and daily Dunkin' runs. The spin class money in the Chase account is for boring needs, like transit and laundry. Every two weeks or so, I assess what, if anything, is left over in the less serious ones and, if I feel inclined, move some to Venmo, which is designated only for frivolity, like a night out. If there's not much money in the frivolity account, I don't go (or at least I go with a firm budget in mind). Finally, if there's a big expense I'd like to pay for but don't want to decimate one account or the other for it, I move a little from all the accounts into Venmo. Why this strategy works for me"But Lindsey," you may say, "You have the same amount of money whether it's in four accounts or one. Why bother with all this?" Well, because I'm bad at budgeting, that's why. If I had one single account and opened my app on payday to see all my money in one place, I'd go a little hog wild without remembering to plan ahead for needs at different levels of severity. Opening four accounts, seeing four different amounts, and having a better idea of precisely how much I have available to spend for each category makes me think a little more and puts up a little buffer to stop me from waltzing into Sephora without a care in the world. Some people do this with their savings and checking accounts, which are both linked to the same bank account. That's fine... for those people. I tried that once. It didn't take much convincing from the devil on my shoulder to transfer money right back out of savings into checking with one tap. Transferring it between different institutions is not difficult, per se, but it requires a little more effort than toggling between savings and checking, and that split-second effort is enough to get me to pause and rethink my bad idea. There have really been no downsides to this besides needing a wallet with a substantial number of pockets. All the cards except for the "serious" one are linked up to my Apple Pay, anyway, and the only issue there is I have to be more diligent about not letting myself use them for purposes other than the ones I've assigned to them just because it's convenient. For someone who's good at budgeting and managing their money, this probably isn't entirely necessary, but if you read even a word of this and related to me, consider it. The accounts were all easy to set up, the debit cards were all free with the accounts, and since I implemented this strategy, I have never found myself in a position where I don't have enough money to cover the things I need and the things I want just because I went a momentarily numb in the brain on payday.

It's 2025, which means every tech company needs to have its own AI bot, of course. X is no exception: Since late 2023, the site has offered a chatbot to its Premium subscribers, developed by sibling company xAI. While blue check accounts may enjoy their built-in AI solution, the vast majority of users with even a passing interest in AI will undoubtedly look towards other options, free or not, like ChatGPT or Gemini. Perhaps that will change this year: In December, xAI announced a free version of Grok, specifically the newest Grok-2 model, available to anyone with an X account. Today, if you click on the Grok tab on X, you'll be able to access Grok, much like any other chatbot you've used before. That's fine and well for the curious among us still on X. But those who have fled for greener pastures haven't been able to take advantage of this perk. That is, until now. Grok is on iPhone, no X account requiredAs of this week, Grok is now available as a free app on iOSno strings attached. You don't need an X account to use Grok, nor do you need to sign into any account at all. (Of course, you can connect your X account, or sign in via Apple, Google, or email.) Once you download the app, you can immediately ask Grok whatever it is you'd ask an AI chatbot. If you don't sign in with X Premium, it seems the app is working off similar limitations to the free plan. That's 10 requests every two hours, with three image analysis requests and four image generations per day. Of course, now the question is, will people actually use Grok? It's possible. As I write this, the app is the fourth most popular free app on the iOS App Storeone spot below ChatGPT, and well above Gemini at 49. (X is number 31, by the way.) However, I am a bit skeptical about its staying power. I obviously understand X and Elon Musk fans flocking to Grok, but most people who care about AI, I think, will stick with what they know (i.e., ChatGPT) unless Grok can do something different, better, or both. I'll admit, Grok is fast: I hadn't tried it myself until now, and the speed at which it responds to text-based queries is impressive. That said, I haven't spent too much time with it, so I can't swear by how accurate the results areand as a relative AI-skeptic, I'm not likely to use it much. However, the one area I see Grok having an advantage (and not necessarily in a good way) is its lack of filter. This is an X Corp product, after all, which means Grok doesn't have some of the restrictions and limitations that other services have put into place to prevent abuse. When it comes to image generation, you can make some wild stuff with Grok. When Lifehacker associate tech editor Michelle Ehrhardt tested out the Grok-2 beta in August, she was taken aback by some of the images she was able to get Grok to generate: violent, offensive, and weird. Even in some brief testing, I was able to make Grok infringe on copyrights without even having to trick it: With Google's Imagen 3, for example, I was able to generate images of Mario by prompting the bot with vague workarounds, like "an Italian plumber wearing a red hat with the letter M." Asking it to draw Mario wouldn't work. Grok is the opposite: Try a workaround, and it spits out weird images of men wearing Mario's clothes. Ask it to draw Mario, and it willfor better, or worse. Mario was supposed to shoot the goomba, but I guess Grok had other plans. Credit: Jake Peterson