Despite significant progress in natural language processing, many AI systems continue to encounter difficulties with advanced reasoning, especially when faced with complex mathematical problems and intricate coding tasks. Current large language models sometimes struggle with multi-step logic and may not generalize well beyond their training data. Moreover, limitations in common-sense reasoning often hinder their broader application. In response to these challenges, researchers and developers have long sought a transparent, scalable solution that can address these issues while encouraging community collaboration and further refinement.Qwen Releases QwQ-32B: A 32B Reasoning ModelQwen has recently introduced QwQ-32Ba 32-billion-parameter reasoning model that demonstrates robust performance in tasks requiring deep analytical thinking. This model has been designed to address persistent challenges in mathematical reasoning and coding, showing competitive results on established benchmarks such as LiveBench AI. With its open-weight release, QwQ-32B provides researchers and developers with a valuable tool for exploring advanced reasoning without the limitations imposed by proprietary systems. The models design emphasizes transparency and invites constructive feedback to foster further improvements.Technical Details and BenefitsQwQ-32B is built with a solid architectural foundation of 32.5 billion parameters and incorporates state-of-the-art transformer techniques such as Rotary Positional Embedding (RoPE), SwiGLU activation functions, and RMSNorm, complemented by a tailored Attention QKV bias. Its design, which includes 64 layers with an attention configuration of 40 heads for queries and 8 for key-value pairs, offers the depth needed for tackling complex reasoning tasks. One of its notable features is an extended context length of up to 32,768 tokens, allowing it to maintain coherence even when processing lengthy and multifaceted inputs.A key innovation in QwQ-32B is the integration of reinforcement learning (RL) into its training process. Instead of relying solely on traditional pretraining methods, the model undergoes RL-based adjustments that focus on improving performance in specific domains like mathematics and coding. By using outcome-based rewardsvalidated through accuracy checks and code execution teststhe model continuously refines its outputs. This adaptive approach enhances its problem-solving abilities and helps it generalize more effectively across various tasks.Performance Data and InsightsThese measured outcomes, documented on Qwens blog and verified through platforms such as Hugging Face and ModelScope, confirm that applying reinforcement learning techniques can significantly enhance a medium-sized models abilities. The approach not only improves performance in specialized tasks like mathematics and coding but also addresses some of the common pitfalls associated with language models, such as occasional language mixing and recursive reasoning loops.ConclusionQwQ-32B represents a thoughtful and carefully engineered step forward in the evolution of open-source large language models. It offers a balanced combination of advanced reasoning capabilities and transparent development practices. The model demonstrates competitive performance against state-of-the-art systems in critical areas such as mathematical problem-solving and code generation while maintaining a clear focus on continuous improvement through reinforcement learning.By making QwQ-32B openly available, Qwen provides an important resource for the research community, enabling further exploration and iterative refinement. This model exemplifies the potential for open-source solutions to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of AIoffering a tool that is both technically robust and accessible for those seeking to push the boundaries of artificial intelligence.Check outTwitterand dont forget to join our80k+ ML SubReddit. Asif RazzaqWebsite| + postsBioAsif Razzaq is the CEO of Marktechpost Media Inc.. As a visionary entrepreneur and engineer, Asif is committed to harnessing the potential of Artificial Intelligence for social good. His most recent endeavor is the launch of an Artificial Intelligence Media Platform, Marktechpost, which stands out for its in-depth coverage of machine learning and deep learning news that is both technically sound and easily understandable by a wide audience. The platform boasts of over 2 million monthly views, illustrating its popularity among audiences.Asif Razzaqhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/6flvq/Researchers from FutureHouse and ScienceMachine Introduce BixBench: A Benchmark Designed to Evaluate AI Agents on Real-World Bioinformatics TaskAsif Razzaqhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/6flvq/Step by Step Guide to Build an AI Research Assistant with Hugging Face SmolAgents: Automating Web Search and Article Summarization Using LLM-Powered Autonomous AgentsAsif Razzaqhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/6flvq/Defog AI Open Sources Introspect: MIT-Licensed Deep-Research for Your Internal DataAsif Razzaqhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/6flvq/Building a Collaborative AI Workflow: Multi-Agent Summarization with CrewAI, crewai-tools, and Hugging Face Transformers Recommended Open-Source AI Platform: IntellAgent is a An Open-Source Multi-Agent Framework to Evaluate Complex Conversational AI System' (Promoted)

LatestMachine LearningO1 Replication Journey Part 2: Let a Great Teacher Guide Students 0 like March 5, 2025Share this postLast Updated on March 5, 2025 by Editorial TeamAuthor(s): Florian June Originally published on Towards AI. This member-only story is on us. Upgrade to access all of Medium.In my view, any kind of learning boils down to two key elements: training data and training methods. For enhancing LLM reasoning or replicating OpenAI o1, obtaining long-thought chains as training data is crucial.In the previous article (O1 Replication Journey Part 1: From Shortcut Hunters to True Explorers), we explored tree search as a method for generating training data. While tree search is effective, it comes with high computational costs and long processing times.Figure 1: Different methods of collecting the long thought data. The distillation method offers a cost-effective and reliable approach to obtaining high-quality data. [Source].In this article, we introduce O1 Replication Journey Part 2: Surpassing O1-preview through Simple Distillation Big Progress or Bitter Lesson?, where the core idea is to obtain training data through distillation.Specifically, by fine-tuning a base LLM with tens of thousands of samples distilled from o1s long-thought chains, its possible to outperform o1-preview on the AIME (American Invitational Mathematics Examination) all with surprisingly low technical complexity.As in my previous article (O1 Replication Journey Part 1: From Shortcut Hunters to True Explorers), well break this article into two main parts: training data and Read the full blog for free on Medium.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

There are a lot of great jigsaw puzzles for adults out there. If anything, there are way too many options to choose from. Because of this, it can sometimes help to narrow down your search to a specific franchise you love. You can never go wrong with a puzzle depicting one of your favorite stories or characters, and the end result can sometimes even be display worthy.One such franchise that has some great puzzle options is The Lord of the Rings. J.R.R. Tolkien's world has been expanded beyond books to be portrayed in movies and even LEGO sets, so it shouldn't be too surprising that there are some enticing jigsaw options too. I've found five of the best best Lord of the Rings puzzles that are available online right now.TL;DR These Are the Best Lord of the Rings Puzzles2000 pieces Ravensburger Lord of The Rings: The Return of The KingSee it at Amazon1000 piecestheory11 Lord of The Rings Jigsaw PuzzleSee it at Amazon204 piecesLord of The Rings Barad-Dur Eye of Sauron 3D Model KitSee it at Amazon1000 Pieces Aquarius Hobbit Map PuzzleSee it at Amazon100 PiecesMyPuzzle Hobbit HouseSee it at AmazonLord of the Rings: The Return of the King PuzzleBest Overall2000 pieces Ravensburger Lord of The Rings: The Return of The KingSee it at AmazonIf you're a fan of the Lord of the Rings movies like I am, then this Return of the King puzzle is an excellent option. It features main characters and scenes from the final film in the trilogy and has a nice border around the whole thing. You've got Frodo struggling to drop the ring into the fires of Mount Doom, Gandalf in the heat of battle, and Aragorn accepting his rightful role as king. What more could you need?This puzzle was also made by Ravensburger, which is one of the best overall puzzle brands out there. Every piece is unique and fits together perfectly.theory11 Lord of the Rings Jigsaw PuzzleCoolest Design1000 piecestheory11 Lord of The Rings Jigsaw PuzzleSee it at AmazonThe main reason this theory11 puzzle is featured here is because it just flat out looks awesome. The design of this 1,000-piece puzzle has a similar look and feel to some of the original illustrations from J.R.R Tolkien himself. The green and gold colors also go really well together with the illustrated style.If you like the look and feel of illustrated Lord of the Rings books, you'll like how this puzzle comes together. It's a great option if you are looking for something to frame and display once it's completed.Barad-Dur Eye of Sauron 3D Model KitBest 3D Puzzle204 piecesLord of The Rings Barad-Dur Eye of Sauron 3D Model KitSee it at AmazonAlthough the standard jigsaw puzzles on this list are all great options, there's a growing market of model kits for adults out there that bring puzzles into 3D space. This particular puzzle kit from 4D Build features the massive tower of Sauron in all its glory. Unlike many other model kits, it doesn't require any glue or tools to put together.With a total of 204 pieces that come in 14 sheets, this is also an excellent LEGO alternative to the massive Barad-Dur LEGO set because it's less than $40.Hobbit Map of Middle Earth PuzzleBest Map Puzzle1000 Pieces Aquarius Hobbit Map PuzzleSee it at AmazonAnother great option for anyone looking for a puzzle worthy of displaying somewhere is this 1,000-piece map of Middle Earth. The map features prominent locations from the story with the Shire as a focal point. Since this is the map from the Hobbit, it doesn't include every location in Middle Earth, but it is the overall best Lord of the Rings map puzzle I've been able to find. You can always browse the interactive map online if you want to see where Mordor and Gondor are located.Hobbit House PuzzleBest for Beginners100 PiecesMyPuzzle Hobbit HouseSee it at AmazonWhile I prefer the challenge of a good 1,000- or 2,000-piece puzzle, not everyone likes digging through a mountain of pieces to complete a picture. This simple 100-piece puzzle is a great option for beginners or casual puzzlers who just want something easy to put together in an afternoon. The image itself depicts a lovely Hobbit home in New Zealand and it's an actual destination you can visit!Tips for Choosing the Best Puzzle for YouIf you're fairly new to puzzles or are looking to purchase one as a gift for someone else, there are a few things you'll need to consider before you buy:How many pieces is it?You can determine how difficult a jigsaw puzzle will be based on a few factors. The first and most obvious question to ask is how many pieces is it? A 100-piece puzzle is more ideal for kids or beginners, a 500-piece puzzle is great for intermediate puzzlers, and a 5,000-piece puzzle is a true undertaking. If you want a relaxing puzzle you can do in an afternoon or with a young kid, you should stick to 300 pieces or less.What size is it?Another important thing to consider is how much room it's going to take up. Even smaller puzzles can be pretty big and if you don't have room for it on your table, it's going to be hard (or even impossible) to put together. This is especially true for larger puzzles that will take days to complete; the table where you eat meals might not be its ideal home if it's going to take up the whole thing. This is where a decent puzzle board or mat can really make a difference.Roll-up StorageBecko Puzzle MatSee it at AmazonUp to 1000 piecesRavensburger Puzzle-Store StorageSee it at AmazonIncludes 6 DrawersPlayVibe Puzzle LockerSee it at AmazonTitls and rollsAll4Jig Puzzle TableSee it at AmazonWhat does the picture look like?The last thing to consider is the actual image itself. Obviously you want to choose a puzzle of something you like, but you should also consider the composition of the image itself certain qualities will make the puzzle more of a headache to put together than others. Do the colors blend together? Is there a lot of empty space? Puzzles with more unique elements will be easier to put together than something with a bunch of clear blue sky, for example.Looking for more great puzzles? Check out our guide to the best Magic puzzles or dive into our favorite Harry Potter jigsaw puzzles.

For anyone who is constantly fiddling with small electronics, building PCs, or modding consoles and controllers, a precision electric screwdriver is an extremely handy tool to have around. For a limited time, Amazon is offering an excellent deal on just that. The Hoto 25+24 Precision Electric Screwdriver is normally $59.99, but a 40% off automatic discount drops it to only $35.99 with free shipping. 40% Off Hoto 49-Bit Precision Electric Screwdriver SetHoto 49-Bit Precision Electric Screwdriver SetThe Hoto screwdriver is a handy tool for situations where your large real power drill might be way too powerful and a manual screwdriver would be too tedious. It's perfect for those tiny screws that require specialized miniature bits. This kit includes a total of 49 S2 steel bits: 25 are included in the magnetic clamshell case and 24 duplicates are for backup.The bits include pretty much every type you'll need, including Phillips, flat, hex, torx, U-shaped, Y-shaped, W-sharped, Tri-wing, triangular, square, pentagon, and more. Furthermore, they're magnetized so you won't accidentally lose those micro screws in tiny nooks and crannies.The screwdriver itself is very compact, measuring about 6.2" long and weighing in at only 2oz. It is powered by a 350mAh lithium battery that can last up to 2 hours on a single charge and conveniently recharges over USB Type-C.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Apple on Wednesday announced a new generation of the MacBook Air, which features the M4 chip inside. Although the new MacBook Air is identical to its predecessor on the outside, Apple surprised everyone with a new sky blue color. And now we have the first photos of this new Mac in the real world.Sky blue M4 MacBook Air in photosThe company didnt hold a special event to announce the new Macs this morning, but it did invite some developers and members of the press to see the products in a brief hands-on session. YouTuber Andru Edwards was one of the first to get his hands on the new laptop and shared many photos showing a closer look at the sky blue color.Apple describes the new color as a beautiful, metallic light blue that creates a dynamic gradient when light reflects off of its surface. Based on photos shared by Andru, the new color actually looks quite discreet, even looking grayish depending on the light.Digital Trends has also posted some photos of the new MacBook Air, which you can see below:Customers buying the new M4 MacBook Air can choose between a 13-inch or 15-inch screen. Thanks to the faster chip, the new MacBook now supports up to two external 6K displays simultaneously. Apart from the new color, everything looks the same. Apple has also added an improved 12-megapixel webcam with Center Stage.The M4 MacBook Air is now available for pre-order, with the official launch set for March 12. Prices start at $999 in the US.What do you think of the new color? Let us know in the comments section below.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Apples M4 MacBook Air comes with several nice upgrades, but it isnt packed with tons of new features. Yet despite the limited revisions on paper, the new MacBook Air stands out from Apples lineup as a rare product I can heartily recommend to just about anyone. Heres why.Apple has grown significantly as a company since products like the iPhone and iPad first launched. And certainly its a night and day different entity than the Macs early days.There used to be one iPhone, for example. You could configure storage options of your choice, but everyone was still getting the same basic iPhone model.Currently, visiting Apples website youll be greeted by a whopping seven different models to choose from:iPhone 16iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 16 ProiPhone 16 Pro MaxiPhone 16eiPhone 15iPhone 15 PlusThis expanding array of options is meant to better serve Apples massive global user base.It can make product recommendations especially hard, though.Which iPhone should you buy? It depends on what youre looking for.The same problem applies to the iPad. If youre looking for a new iPad, I cant make a recommendation until I hear what your needs are, how you want to use the device, and so on.But with the Mac? Its easy.The new M4 MacBook Air is a no-brainer recommendation for just about anyone.Why the MacBook Air stands alone in Apples lineupThere are several reasons why its easy to recommend the M4 MacBook Air above all other Macs.First, theres the laptop vs. desktop equation.The majority of Mac models Apple sells are desktops. Theres the Mac mini, iMac, Mac Studio, and Mac Proas opposed to just MacBook Air and MacBook Pro on the laptop side.But as you might already know, almost all Mac buyers prefer laptops.Desktops make up a very tiny fraction of Apples Mac sales. Thus, its easy to assume that if someone wants a new Mac, they want a laptop. So four out of six options are immediately ruled out.When it comes to the MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro debate, things are more complicatedbut only slightly.Typically if a MacBook Pro is the best device for someone, they tend to already know that. Either they do the kind of work that really benefits from the Pros extra power, or they really need some of the extra ports it offers.Again, the number of MacBook Pros sold is way smaller than the number of MacBook Airs. Thats because the Pro model serves a relatively niche market.MacBook Air, however, is the computer for everyone. From Apples M4 announcement:MacBook Air is by far the worlds most popular laptopsaid Greg Joswiak, Apples senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.Not that Apples going to say this out loud, but by far includes selling a lot more than the MacBook Pro.So the MacBook Air is an easy recommendation because its one of Apples only products with tremendously broad appeal.With iPhones and iPads, theres no single model that is so universally right for most people.Benefits of the M4 MacBook Air make it more of a no-brainerMuch of what Ive argued so far applied to the MacBook Air even before todays M4 update. But its now even more true thanks to the new model.The M4 MacBook Air starts at just $999, making it easily one of the best value products in Apples lineup.And for $999 you get 16GB of RAM, so its not like Apple achieved a low starting price by making cuts that nobody can live with. Will some want to upgrade the 256GB of storage? Sure, but thats not a necessity for the average person.The M4 also lets you drive two external displays while keeping your MacBook Airs lid open, for three screens total. That feature used to be exclusive to higher end MacBook Pros.Until today, Apple made a MacBook Air recommendation more difficult by keeping two models in the lineup. The M3 started at $1,099 while the M2 stuck around at $999.Both were solid options, but it was tricky sorting out whether the M3 was worth the extra $100.Now, Apple just has one MacBook Air model to choose from, and its an easy choice.If youre looking to buy a Mac, Im going to recommend the new M4 MacBook Air.Do you think the M4 MacBook Air is an easy recommendation? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best Mac accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

The past few months have not been kind for Tesla's shareholders, as massive sales slumps in Germany, China, France and greater Scandinavia drag the company's stock price through the mud.Tesla's nosedive coincides with Elon Musk's first full month as unelected vizier to Donald Trump, a corporate power grab which has been met with widespread disgust bubbling over into property destruction.Investors hoping for a break will have to keep waiting, because new reporting is showing a disastrous drop in Australian Tesla sales in February to the tune of a catastrophic 70 percent compared to 2024. That's more than double an already agonizing 33 percent drop in January, the company's worst performance since 2022.On its own, new Aussie registrations for Tesla's Model 3 tanked by a stomach-churning 81.4 percent in February, compared to the same month last year.Some commenters have noted Tesla's slump is part of a broader decline in EV sales down under. That said, sales of BYD's Shark 6 a Chinese-made hybrid truck shot up to become the third best-selling utility vehicle in its second month on the Australian market, showing the country still has appetite for electrified vehicles.Internally, Tesla is definitely not freaking out. A little after midnight yesterday, Tesla North America desperately posted a flurry of generous offers to court new buyers, starting with "0 percent APR now available for all Model 3 trims," followed up by promising "$0 due at signing also available."The company's sad performance follows a growing stigma attached to Tesla's brand, which at one point was a leading institution for feel-good consumer progressivism.Former consumer activists, EV fanatics, and drivers who once took advantage of the carbon tax credit are now shedding their Teslas in disgust. Others are disguising the company's emblem on their hood in a desperate bid to avoid associating with Musk's brand a task complicated by Tesla's unmistakable designs.Probably the most superficial protest is the bumper sticker declaring "I bought this before Musk went crazy," a sentiment which some longtime critics say comes about seven years too late.Meanwhile, real protests of all stripes have been organizing around the shared goal of tanking Tesla's bottom line, an effective if uncoordinated strategy so far.The efforts range from picketing the company's stores to haranguing Tesla drivers, and in some cases destroying Tesla's property with bricks and Molotov cocktails.It's all gotten the attention of Tesla's heaviest shareholders, some of whom have taken to social media to blast Musk for abandoning Tesla and taking up residence in the federal government.All told, it's been one of the worst months in Tesla's history, andas consumer spending slows, there's no telling what disappointments await the EV giant in the months ahead.Share This Article

Is Google's so-called "AI co-scientist" poised to revolutionize scientific research as we know it? Not according to its human colleagues.The Gemini 2.0 based tool, announced by Google last month, can purportedly come up with hypotheses and detailed research plans by using "advanced reasoning" to "mirror the reasoning process underpinning the scientific method." This process is powered by multiple Gemini "agents" that essentially debate and bounce ideas off each other, refining them over time.The yet-unnamed tool would give scientists "superpowers," Alan Karthikesalingam, an AI researcher at Google, last month. And even biomedical researchers at Imperial College London, who got to use an early version of the AI model, eagerly claimed it would "supercharge science."But the superlative-heavy hype seems to be just that: hype."This preliminary tool, while interesting, doesn't seem likely to be seriously used," Sarah Beery, a computer vision researcher at MIT, told TechCrunch. "I'm not sure that there is demand for this type of hypothesis-generation system from the scientific community."In its announcement, Google boasted that the AI co-scientist came up with novel approaches for repurposing drugs to treat acute myeloid leukemia. According to pathologist Favia Dubyk, however, "no legitimate scientist" would take the results seriously they're just too vague."The lack of information provided makes it really hard to understand if this can truly be helpful," Dubyk, who's affiliated with Northwest Medical Center-Tucson in Arizona, told TechCrunch.Google's claims that the AI uncovered novel ways of treating liver fibrosis have also been shot down. "The drugs identified are all well established to be antifibrotic," Steven O'Reilly at UK biotech company Alcyomics, told New Scientist last month. "There is nothing new here."To be sure, the tool isn't without its potential advantages. It can parse through and pull from vast amounts of scientific literature in minutes, compiling what it finds into helpful summaries. That could be an amazing timesaver if you can overlook the high likelihood of hallucinations, or made-up outputs, creeping into the work, a problem inherent to all large language models. But that's not what Google is aiming for here; it's touting the AI model as a bonafide hypothesis-generating machine something that can probe our understanding of a field with meaningful questions not merely an automated research assistant. That's a very, very high bar. And more importantly, it's not something scientists are asking for."For many scientists, myself included, generating hypotheses is the most fun part of the job," Lana Sinapayen, an AI researcher at Sony Computer Science Laboratories in Japan told TechCrunch. "Why would I want to outsource my fun to a computer, and then be left with only the hard work to do myself?" "In general, many generative AI researchers seem to misunderstand why humans do what they do," Sinapayen added, "and we end up with proposals for products that automate the very part that we get joy from."Share This Article

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today's Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.Today'sConnections puzzleisn't too tricky. A couple of the categories have me thinking of spring and summer. But if you need help, we've got the answers Read on for clues and today's Connections answers.The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.Read more:Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every TimeHints for today's Connections groupsHere are four hints for the groupings in today's Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.Yellow group hint: Grow weaker.Green group hint: Inch by inch, row by row.Blue group hint: Footwear.Purple group hint: Find it on the beach.Answers for today's Connections groupsYellow group: Wane.Green group: Do some tasks in the garden.Blue group: Shoes.Purple group: Sand ____.Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English WordsWhat are today's Connections answers? The completed NYT Connections puzzle for March 6, 2025, #635. NYT/Screenshot by CNETThe yellow words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is wane. The four answers are dwindle, fade, peter and taper.The green words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is do some tasks in the garden. The four answers are plant, prune, water and weed.The blue words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is shoes. The four answers are flat, Mary Jane, mule and slide.The purple words in today's ConnectionsThe theme is sand ____. The four answers are castle, paper, piper and stone.

Every year, phone makers flock to Mobile World Congress to reveal their latest and greatest devices. At MWC 2025 in Barcelona, we've already seen some incredible new handsets headed to stores later this year, as well as concept devices we could see in the years to come.MWC occurs at a prime position: While Samsung always jumps the gun by announcing its phones in January, as seen with the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, other phone makers wait to tease their upcoming devices in late February or early March at the mobile industry's biggest event of the year.Many of these phones are cutting-edge but still conventional enough to compete with the Galaxy S25 for mainstream consumers. But in Barcelona, we also get to see the strange, inventive designs that phone makers are showing off. These have more specialty customers in mind, so not all will get wide releases.Admittedly, some of these are concept phones, which won't reach the market at all but, instead, serve as proofs of concept for intriguing ideas that could trickle down someday. Sometimes, it's a matter of technology needing to be further developed, or for novel components to become commonplace enough to be affordable -- we saw foldable phone screens at MWC for years before they arrived in market-ready devices.Here are the weirdest phones at MWC 2025.Detachable camera lenses on smartphones The Xiaomi modular camera concept. Andrew Lanxon/CNETNot one, but two phone makers have showcased new concept devices that have full-size camera lenses you can attach to the back of a smartphone.Xiaomi calls its concept the "modular optical system," which magnetically attaches the added camera lens to the back of the smartphone body. It has an even larger four-thirds image sensor (a size and ratio common on digital camera lenses) than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's 1-inch type image sensor (which isn't actually an inch in size), connects to the middle of the back of the phone below the conventional camera block and takes pretty good photos, as CNET editor Andrew Lanxon found.RealMe also had a concept device with digital camera-size lenses you could attach. Unlike Xiaomi's device, however, RealMe's can mount full-frame mirrorless lenses, which are larger and could potentially take better photos. It also has an adapter that allows the mounting of professional-level lenses, like a Leica M11 or Canon R6.Foldable game console and triple-clamshell phone Samsung Display always comes to MWC with interesting concepts. Andrew Lanxon/CNETSamsung Display can reliably be trusted to debut exciting and intriguing concept devices at MWC. This year, the company's screen division had a couple ideas for future foldable handsets.The first is a foldable gaming console, which looks like a Z Flip-style clamshell foldable wrapped in a case with gaming controls on either side -- a thumbstick and a ring of buttons surrounding a hole -- but inverted, such that when the device is closed, the thumbstick fits in the button hole of the other. While we saw it run games, it's unclear whether this concept device is more of a smartphone with a neat case or a bespoke mobile gaming handset. Samsung's dual-folding concept was like a variation on the Galaxy Z Flip. Andrew Lanxon/CNETSamsung clamshell folding phoneSamsung also showed off a unique foldable we haven't seen before: a clamshell-style folding phone with two hinges. Even stranger, each folding limb was a different size, with a smaller flap on the top and larger flap on the bottom -- and when folded up, they don't fully cover the central part. Presumably, this is to ensure that both can fold inward and not run into each other, but it looks strange. Unfold each flap partway, though, and the phone does look a bit like the 90s cell phones that flipped down their thin mouthpieces. If you had to guess, would you say this is a phone from the past or the future? Katie Collins/CNETLastly, Samsung Display had a more unique take on its Z Flip clamshell series -- rather than the sleek modern look of last year's Galaxy Z Flip 6, the company redesigned its external display around a retro-futuristic look with polygonal gray plastic, a la Disney parks' Space Mountain or old PC and Apple computer housings. A stylish look for what's now a conventional foldable. The RedMagic 10 Pro Golden Saga edition. RedMagicRedMagic 10 Pro gaming phone and a silver and gold phoneThe $650 RedMagic 10 Pro gaming phone came out just before the end of last year, but there's a new version around. For nearly three times the price, you can get the same phone built with precious metals: gold-wrapped, with gold and silver plating in its cooling system, a carbon fiber body and a sapphire glass rear cover. The Golden Saga phone, as it's called, costs $1,500 for a fancier-looking version of the same gaming phone.There's also a Mora Pink version of the RedMagic 10 Pro if you want a more affordable version with just a bit more pizazz. Watch this: Samsung's Stretchable, Rollable and Foldable Screens Are on Display at MWC 2025 04:08