Tag: Phones and Gadgets

Think of a smartphone that predicts your needs instead of simply reacting to them. An OS that seemingly integrates with cloud services, PC, and your gaming console. A platform that packs features so far ahead of its time. This experience briefly existed with Windows Phone, a visionary software that couldn’t make it. As Microsoft turns 50, I think it’s time to bring back Windows phones once again in 2025.

My Windows Phone Origin Story: An OS that Dared to Dream

As someone who made a career out of following Android, I started my journey with a Windows Phone. The Nokia Lumia 520 was my first smartphone that my grandma bought for me. And so started my journey in tech.

I picked the phone over any Android at the time, for a simple reason- it looked out of the ordinary. Upon first boot, you were greeted with an interactive plane of live tiles. A sharp contrast to the static icons present on Android or iPhones. This was called the Metro UI, which showed real-time updates, reminders, and events right on the home screen.

This brought the home screen to life, always updating, refreshing, and eliminating the need to open certain apps. If something seemed important, you could resize it to quickly glance at alerts or live updates. This sort of customization made the Windows Phone home screen feel like a game of Tetris, where you try to fit the blocks in the correct order.

Then you got support for Microsoft services out of the box. Like Xbox, Zune, Office 365, and SkyDrive, all of them synced with your Microsoft account. So you could return to documents saved on your PC, sync images and contacts from your phone in SkyDrive, allowing access across devices. This kind of synergy wasn’t as common back in the day.

However, the biggest advantage in the Windows Phone catalogue is the Nokia hardware. They made colorful devices that appealed to the younger generation, something that Apple tried to copy with the iPhone 5C. Their phones also featured camera prowess, unlike any other. If you were serious about smartphone photography, then you picked a Lumia. They even came with a Shutter key (which again, Apple adopted with the Camera Control button, almost a decade later).

Nokia made its camera app beginner-friendly, featuring an intuitive carousel of camera controls. This made my younger self inclined to click more photos. And learn what settings like ISO and white balance do to a picture. Here are some examples to show how much I loved taking photos with the measly 5MP lens of my Lumia 520.

Even modern features like Always on display, dynamic lock screen, UI theming, all were present on Windows Phone. All this just goes to show how far ahead Windows Phones were at the time.

When Cortana was the Real MVP of Mobile Assistants

I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion, but Cortana was better than any other voice assistant, period! She may have failed at her actual job of being a capable virtual help. But at the time, she had what most voice models don’t have, even in today’s day and age. A good personality!

Cortana was introduced with Windows 8.1, adapted from Xbox’s popular FPS title Halo. Microsoft even brought the same voice actor from the game to lend her voice to the virtual assistant. This further added to her personality, as she was cheerful and fun to engage with. She had more than a monotone response to your queries and also featured some fun little Easter eggs for Halo fans.

When you ask about her and Master Chief’s relations, she will give a coy reply. She was self-aware of other competing voice assistants at the time, and wasn’t shy to pass a remark. I know PC users didn’t care for it much. But it made itself cozy on a smartphone and was one of the things that I miss about Windows Phones.

Where Windows Phone’s Potential Died

So if so much was right with Windows Phones, what led to their downfall, you may ask? Well, there were many reasons for its failure. First and foremost was the lack of proper app support. No Instagram, no Snapchat, no Google service like YouTube, Google Maps, or even Google Search. Living the Windows Phone life was almost giving yourself a social media detox.

You also couldn’t sideload apps like you can on Android. So your only options were either the browser, which was Internet Explorer by default (Yikes). Or going with third-party clients of those services. Apart from these issues, Microsoft’s own ambitions for the future of Windows Phone also became the cause of its downfall, also contributing to the death of Nokia. Like a modern tale of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun.

Windows 10 Mobile was supposed to fix most issues with the older versions. Bring wider app support, and offer seamless connectivity between your phone and PC. Instead, it did the opposite, as it was too buggy to botch the experience of using a Lumia device entirely. Every single reviewer who tried it called it an unfinished mess. Basic things like browsing apps, taking pictures, or making calls became a chore all of a sudden.

This soured the taste in every Windows Phone user’s mind and made us die-hard fans beg for Microsoft to roll it back. Which they eventually did. That was the final nail in the coffin for this era of Windows smartphones. And after that… it has been silent ever since.

Are Windows Phones Due For a Comeback? Hear Me Out…

While the Windows Phone era might have eroded long ago, it left a deep-rooted impact on a community of users who still miss it to this day. The fact that I am writing this piece should be enough to support that statement. The Metro UI, live widget, system-wide dark theme, and horizontal scrolling menu were all ahead of their time and offered an experience like none other.

The smartphone market of 2025 has matured a lot and is dominated by Google and Apple, so it isn’t as easy as it was a decade ago for Microsoft to make a return. However, people are getting tired of the two and, more than before, reminisce about simpler times of a colorful Lumia smartphone.

Not only was Windows Phone fun. It was customizable at the interface level, making it gel well with the Gen Zs of today. They were also incredibly easy to use, appealing straight away to the older generation as well. For all these reasons, and more, I feel Microsoft should consider stepping into the smartphone industry once again. And I know how they can do it…

How Can Microsoft Bring It Back?

As I said, entering the smartphone market in 2025 isn’t going to be easy, as people have already chosen a side in the Android and iOS duopoly. That is why I feel that, rather than running on a completely new operating system, Microsoft should instead build upon Windows Phone on Android.

I know that sounds absurd, but it solves a major problem: app support or the lack of it. Microsoft already tried the same thing with its Surface Duo lineup of foldables. They stuffed them with Microsoft apps and services. The same can be executed here, but with a heavily skinned version, made to feel and look like Windows Phone.

Several Android launchers already bring the aesthetics of a Windows Phone, so Microsoft sure can do a far better job than them. Plus, they won’t have to sweat over the security and privacy features, as Android takes care of it. If this seems like a far-fetched dream, then let me tell you that Microsoft already executed it in 2015 with the Nokia X lineup of smartphones.

They also came with a heavily skinned version of Android made to look like Windows Phone, sporting the same exterior as a typical Lumia. Microsoft could also hire the original design team for the Lumia smartphones to bring the same joyful aesthetics that our nostalgia wouldn’t let us forget about. With all the right pieces and a bang-on price, I think we could successfully bring back the age of Windows Phone to the market in 2025. Now it’s your call, Microsoft!

The Tushita is a legendary sword in Blox Fruits and is a reference to one of the six deva-worlds in Buddhism. This is a highly coveted item, and you will need this sword along with the Yama to unlock the Cursed Dual Katana later in the game. Apart from that, the sword in itself has great combos, does swift attacks, and has the ability to break instinct and stun enemies for a long time. So, if you are eager to unlock this sword as soon as possible, keep reading to know how to get the Tushita in Blox Fruits.

How to Get Tushita in Blox Fruits

Before you head on to do the tasks, keep in mind that you must be at level 2000 and above in order to get the Tushita in Blox Fruits. Furthermore, unlocking the sword requires you to start a puzzle and defeat the boss Longma, located at the Floating Turtle island of the Third Sea. So, once you are ready, simply follow the steps below:

1. Summon rip_indra

Summoning the rip_indra boss requires you to have the God’s Chalice. You can easily obtain this at the third sea by defeating the Elite Pirates or finding it inside a random chest after every 4 hours. Refer to the Blox Fruits map to make your way around the game. Once obtained, follow the steps below to summon the boss:

• Head to the Castle on the Sea in the Third Sea.
• You can either equip the 3 legendary Aura colors yourself or ask your friends to do so. The colors are – Snow White, Pure Red, and Winter Sky.
• Now, press the buttons on this island with the corresponding colors equipped.
• Finally, enter the castle and place the God’s Chalice on the pedestal to your right.

The most important note in this step is that rip_indra should not die at any cost, neither should you defeat him. Consider joining a private server if you don’t want to take any chances.

2. Start the Tushita Puzzle

Once done with the summoning, head straight to the Hydra island on the Third sea and complete the steps as given below:

• Locate the waterfall on the Hydra island and make your way through the water.
• You’ll find a secret entrance leading to a huge grey dungeon door.
• Use any of your fruit abilities to blast this door and head inside.
• Here, you will find the Yama sword and a few Ghosts you must defeat.
• Once done with the Ghosts, enter the passage to your right, and you will find another door emitting a light effect.
• Now, walk through this door to teleport yourself to the Floating Turtle Island.

3. Place the Torches

As soon as you enter the Floating Turtle island, open your backpack and move the Holy Torch to your hotbar. You’ll need this item to light the unlit torches at five locations on this island. With only 5 minutes left on your hands, you’ll have to be fast. That said, here are the locations of all the unlit torches:

• Torch 1: On the pillar of the Arch bridge, located near your starting point.
• Torch 2: At the bottom of the pillar of another Arch bridge, behind the huge tree, standing ahead of you.
• Torch 3: Inside the Pineapple house above the huge leaf, near the pink mushrooms and Jungle Pirates
• Torch 4: On the Shipwreck located near the spawn point of the Mythological Pirates.
• Torch 5: On the wall of the house near the Forest Pirates.

4. Defeat the Longma Boss

Finally, if you are able to light all five torches in under five minutes, a door opens near the Fishman Captains. This is the hiding place of the Longma boss. This one is a level 2000 boss, and you cannot instinct trick his attacks. All he does is use Tushita’s two special moves.

So, use a high damage fruit like the Magma, Yeti, or the Dragon Fruit to defeat this guy easily. Better yet, go through our Blox Fruits tier list to take your pick. Also, redeem the latest Blox Fruits codes to get some free Beli to buy some. Do note that you will get Tushita as a guaranteed drop from the boss only if you have done more than 50% damage and you’re the last person to put a blow on him.

Blox Fruits Tushita: All Movesets

The Tushita sword has really fast moves, a long range, a pretty large hitbox, and has one of the best mobilities. Although it has only two special moves, just like any other sword in Blox Fruits, you can still damage the enemies and knock them down. With that said, here are the moves of this sword:

• Heavenly Lunges or Z Move (150 Mastery): This one does fast consecutive attacks on the enemy, with the final move being a long slash that knocks them back.
• Celestial Ravager or X Move (300 Mastery): With this move, your character dashes towards the enemies, attacks them with continuous slashes, and leaves an X mark on the ground at the end.

How to Upgrade the Tushita in Blox Fruits

Finally, the Tushita can be upgraded to boost its damage output by 8%. For this, you must visit the Blacksmith NPC, found on all three seas, at these islands: Pirate Village, Kingdom of Rose, and Port Town. So, here are all the items you require to upgrade your weapon:

• Mini Tusk: You can obtain this by defeating the Mythological Pirate in the third sea; however, it is quite rarely dropped.
• Leather: Get this by defeating the NPCs, including Brute, Mercenary, Marine Captain, and Forest Pirate, found across all three seas.

That’s all about the Tushita sword in Blox Fruits, how you can complete the puzzle and what are its special moves. So, what are your thoughts on this sword? Is it a good choice for grinding and in PvP battles? Let us know in the comments below.

The live-action film How to Train Your Dragon, which will be released theatrically on June 13, 2025, is one of the anticipated titles of 2025. HTYD has been a massive franchise, thanks to the incredibly popular animated films. However, Universal Pictures wanted to expand its horizons and bring this story to more people through live action.

The first live-action film set to release this year is in June, so we are only a couple of months away from seeing a new version of Toothless and Hiccup. It’s hard to judge a movie before its release, but fans are confident that the live-action will be good. Also, it seems like the studio has more than enough faith in the live-action version of HTYD. That’s because recently, Universal Pictures announced How to Train Your Dragon 2, the sequel to the first film, with a fancy teaser revealing its logo.

After what seems like an eternity, we finally have some concrete Nintendo Switch 2 details with us. Announced during the Nintendo Direct 2025, the Switch 2 is the console you will want. Why do we say that? Well, you’ll be excited to know that the Switch 2 is coming with a roster full of games that will blow you away. Want to know them all? Keep reading as we list out all the Nintendo Switch 2 games that will be launching day one.

All Nintendo Switch 2 Games

As of now, Nintendo has confirmed that you will be able to play three types of games on the Nintendo Switch 2. These types are broadly divided into three categories: Nintendo Switch 2 games, Compatible Nintendo Switch games, and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games. So that confirms another question about whether Nintendo Switch 2 will be backwards compatible.

First come the all-new games that you have never experienced before, and their release date has been confirmed as the same date as the release of the Nintendo Switch 2. Next is the category that houses all the games from Nintendo Switch 1 set to release this year for Nintendo Switch 2.

Among all others, we have a special category including all those beloved old games that will receive a whole lot of upgrades, graphics enhancements, new features, and be released specially for Nintendo Switch 2. With that said, here are all the Nintendo Switch 2 games announced till now:

• Mario Kart World
• Drag X Drive
• Survival Kids
• Enter the Gungeon 2
• Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions
• DeltaRune
• Kirby Airstriders
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Super Mario Party Jamboree
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Kirby and the Forgotten Land
• Metroid Prime 4 Beyond
• Pokemon Legends ZA
• The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
• Soulcalibur II
• F-Zero GX

Switch 2 Games Developed in Collaboration with Nintendo

Finally, Nintendo Direct announced a few titles currently in the development phase and are set to be released on July 5, 2025, the day of Nintendo Switch 2’s release. Here is the list of all those games:

• Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
• Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition
• Hades 2
• Street Fighters: Fighters Edition
• Daemon X Machina
• Split Fiction
• Madden NFL
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4
• Hitman World of Assassination Signature Edition
• Project 007
• Bravely Default Flying Fairy
• Yakuza Director’s Cut
• Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
• Borderlands 4
• Civilization 7
• WWE 2K
• NBA 2K
• Final Fantasy VII: Remake
• Kunitsu-Gami: Part of the Goddess
• Hollow Knight; Silksong
• Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar
• Goodnight Universe
• Two Point Museum
• Wild Hearts S
• Witchbrook
• Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
• Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
• Marvel Cosmic Invasion
• Star Wars Outlaws
• Nobunga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
• Fast Fusion
• Shadow Labyrinth
• RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army
• No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files
• Reanimal
• Fortnite
• Arcade Archives 2 Ridge Racer
• Professor Layton and the New World of Steam
• Tamagotchi Plaza
• Human Fall Flat 2

So these are all the Switch 2 games coming to the console till now. With the release date for the console already out, it’s only a matter of time before we get even more games soon. That said, are you excited for the titles above? Let us know in the comments below.

When my grandpa got a Pentium 4 desktop with Windows XP, the curious 7-year-old me asked what the unknown (Windows) sticker meant. He replied, “It’s a Windows logo”. My uncle then asked, “Why is it there? Isn’t the product itself enough?” to which he replied, “Logos don’t just sell products; they speak for them”. That moment stuck with me, and as I grew older, I began to understand what he meant. Now, I’m convinced it resonates with Microsoft Windows‘ logo as well as its evolution through the years.

One of the most crucial yet fun parts of marketing a product to ensure it sticks out from the competition has to be the logos. The small labels with varying geometry, symmetry, and popping colors are simple in appearance yet so effective at telling a story. From minimal, less colorful logos in the 1980s and 90s, to the louder designs of the 2010s and early 2020s, and now the return to minimalism this decade, logos have come a long way.

But out of all the big tech giants and their product logos, many enthusiasts would agree that Microsoft‘s Windows logos have had the most intriguing and fun transformations. Each Windows release has had its own logo, and they were extremely well-thought-out. Microsoft just turned 50 and there’s no better time to revisit Windows logos to see how they’ve evolved over the years. From Windows 1.0, 3.x, to Windows 95, 98, XP, and Windows 11, here’s how the Windows logo have evolved over the years.

Windows 1.0 – 2.0: As Classic as it Gets

Contrary to the numerous logos floating around the internet, Windows 1.0 did not have a logo. From the retail packaging to booting the operating system, you could only see the old Microsoft logo in all CAPS with a weird glitchy letter “O”. The same goes for Windows 2.0 where Microsoft revamped its logo and used it in the OS boot screen. This slant Microsoft logo would remain THE Microsoft logo until 2012.

Windows did not have a distinct logo and identity until Windows 3.0, which finally added a logo. Although it was not used in the retail packaging or inside the OS, it later appeared in promotional materials. With the classic Times New Roman text and a white to gray and black gradient, it was unusually elongated.

The four rectangles depicting windows had even spacing both horizontally and vertically. The gradient in them moved from black to gray and white, which complimented the white to gray/black background. Although, it wasn’t the sharpest or cleanest of logos. The white end of the gradient would blend with the white background, making it impossible to use on light packaging.

Windows 3.1: The Start of the Windows Identity

Windows 3.1 is where Microsoft got serious about the Windows branding and identity. The old, almost non-existent black and white Windows logo was replaced. This time, with the very first wavy four-pane window with Windows’ signature Red-Green-Blue-Yellow colors. The Windows logo looked like a graphical representation of computing evolution, with pixels fading into modernity.

The Times New Roman Microsoft Windows text managed to survive yet another version. All in all, it gave the Windows branding a solid direction and what would be an inspiration for future logos. Fun fact, although the Windows 3.1 logo and its pixelated trail was meant to symbolize speed and advancements, it was still running on MS-DOS and wasn’t exactly futuristic.

Windows 95 – 98: Logos that Redefined the Brand

You’d be hard-pressed to find the differences between both the Windows 95 and 98 logos, but it was a good change from Windows 3.1’s. Right of the bat, the Serif font was gone and Sans-Serif took the center stage.

The colors were a bit easygoing, unlike Windows 3.1’s brighter hues. The Windows 98 logo was slightly sharper compared to 95, but that’s where pretty much all the differences end.

The main differences were in the way these operating systems were marketed. Windows 95 steered forward the Start menu. So it’s marketing had terms like “Start Me up”, whereas Windows 98 brought improvements to internet connectivity and added USB support.

Windows ME: ME for Middle Error?

The ME (Millennium Edition) wasn’t great. It’s labelled one of the worst Windows releases due to stability issues. Besides new features, Microsoft had revamped the logo to something millennials would like. But did they? Well, only if they could shift their focus from the numerous issues that followed after the release.

The logo wasn’t anything special to write home about. It was the same Windows 95/98 waving flag logo slapped on a new green frame with Blue and Orange frames in the background. It was to woo new users with its playful color theme, which made it look a bit more modern. Although, by far my favorite thing about the Windows ME logo was the green Me text in the end. It was by far the most millennium thing about the logo.

Windows XP: THE 3D Logo Transformation

While the Windows logo’s transformation has started with the 95 and 98, the true transformed logo didn’t arrive until Windows XP. It was almost as if Microsoft was ushering into the modern era of Windows as the XP logo was bold, expressive, and more importantly, retained its old flag-like wavy design language. Gone were the pixels and the bold boundaries. Despite the rather big change, it didn’t come out as something completely different and still had that Windows feel going for it.

The colors had shadows on the crests and a hint of highlights at the trough. The edges had subtle shadow outlines at the far-right and slightly below the 3D-esque logo, which gave the logo a bit more character, realism, and more importantly, it was the start of the modern Windows era.

Windows Vista and 7: Embracing Modern Aesthetics

Windows Vista wasn’t the best operating system for most people, but the Vista logo was an absolute banger! Microsoft embraced an even more modern aesthetics with glassmorphism, and it looked gorgeous. Unlike other versions, the Windows Vista boot logo was a logo wrapped inside a circle, which was also the boot icon of the OS. The logo remained pretty much unchanged with Windows 7.

Microsoft yet again stuck to the waving flag but this time, instead of shadows, the Windows logo looked like it was under a bright spotlight. The corners of the rectangles still had a hint of shadows, adding character to the glossy look. The logo was one of the ingredients for the iconic Windows Vista startup screen, with the uplifting “Dah dung duh dingg!!!” chime, that carried over to Windows 7 as well.

Windows 8 and 10: Blue is the New Identity

Windows 8 not only brought massive changes to the Windows Desktop but also the logo. It was flat, embraced minimalism, and no longer stuck to the traditional signature four colors that Windows was known for. The Windows 8 icon was completely blue, slightly tilted left for a perspective effect.

It was sharp and a total departure from a wavy flag design. In fact, it was a nod to Windows 8’s new Metro UI, which not many liked. The Windows 10 logo was pretty much the same, with the only difference being that it used a darker blue shade.

Windows 11: A Little More Straight, Maybe?

Windows 11‘s arrival was unexpected, but the logo change was anticipated by many. After all, it was supposed to be the most aesthetically pleasing Windows, and there’s almost always a change in logo with a change in aesthetics.

Windows 11’s logo ditched the tilted perspective for a straighter, more minimal logo. Microsoft also let go of the sharper edges and added a slight curvature to the icon to match the curvier aesthetics of the OS’ UI.

The Windows 11 logo, again, was nothing special to write home about. It does look a bit modern and aesthetic, but by far my favorite part about this logo were the memes that we got.

One of them was a classic blinking guy meme, which mocked the perspective change of the logo. It’s silly, and that’s what makes it hilarious. All in all, the Windows 11 logo isn’t the best, but it’s definitely a welcome change.

Some of my favorite Windows logos are from my favorite Windows versions, i.e., Windows XP and Vista/7. And that’s probably also true for many. However, if I had to pick another best Windows logo, I’d obviously pick Windows 98. It’s extremely nostalgic.

That said, it’s almost poetic to think that the Microsoft text was THE face of Windows, but as the OS evolved, the roles reversed and Windows became the defining symbol. Microsoft reshaped its own logo to reflect it. Like it or hate it, there’s no “bad” Windows logo because they all eventually, magically grow over you.

What’s your favorite logo, and why is it XP? Let us know in the comments below.

When the Switch 2 was revealed for the first time, one doubt that fans had was, “What is the C button on the Joy-Cons?” Well, with the full reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, we now know that it is more than just an action button. Yes, the C button on the Nintendo Joy-Cons 2 serves a specific role in GameChat.

If you look at the Joy-Cons of the Nintendo Switch 2, the C button is located under the home button. For the Switch Pro controllers, it is located in the middle of the controller.

Once you press the C button on the controller, it will open the Nintendo GameChat menu. You can press the button anytime to bring up the menu. To get out of the menu, you can press the B button, and to select a specific option, press the A button.

What is the Nintendo Switch 2 GameChat?

The Nintendo GameChat is a feature similar to how Discord parties work. However, unlike Discord on PC or other consoles, this is an inbuilt feature. This means your resources will be checked to keep game performance in balance. The Switch 2 GameChat fosters a “same-room” experience for remote players.

Activate it via the ‘C’ button on Joy-Con 2 to have a conference between friends. GameChat even works between people playing different games. This means that people on a call can play other games and even screen-share. It also supports voice and optional video chat via the Switch camera.

Up to 12 players can join, with four screen-sharing simultaneously. GameChat is free until March 2026; it requires a Nintendo Switch Online membership. You can invite friends to start sessions. The feature also includes a safety reporting option. The C button definitely adds extra value to the social features of a Switch console, and with the successor, it is a positive direction.

What do you think about the Switch 2 C button and GameChat feature? Will you use it to communicate with friends after you pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2? Do tell us in the comments below.

If you are finding it hard to spot theme words in today’s puzzle, then you are in serious need of the Strands hints below. Those bored with sensational games like Wordle and Connections are turning their attention to Strands for a challenging new experience. If you happen to be one of them and are struggling with NYT Strands, we can get you sorted. So, to help you out, we have added the Strands hints, answers, and Spangram on Thursday, April 3, 2025, below.

What is NYT Strands?

NYT Strands is a word game created by The New York Times as part of its growing “Games” library. The aim of this New York Times game is to connect letters in a six-by-eight grid to form a bunch of words that share the same theme.

To get you started, the puzzle will give you a theme for today’s NYT Strands. You can use it to form multiple “theme” words which will be relevant to this theme, along with one “special” word called the Spangram. This is a word or phrase that spans the length of the grid, vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, giving you the key to crack the rest of the Strands theme words.

The theme for today’s Strands can be relevant in many different ways. So, the puzzle keeps you on your toes every day with its intriguing set of theme words and Spangrams.

NYT Strands Hints for Today’s Theme: “Get the bug”

The theme for today’s Strands on April 3, 2025, is — Get the bug

If you can’t figure out answers for today’s puzzle, here’s a quick Strands hint — think of different insects with “bug” in their name.

Here are hints for a couple of Strands theme words to make it easy for you to solve today’s puzzle on your own without having to scroll down to view the answers:

• Hint #1: a more common name for fireflies.
• Hint #2: an insect that releases a foul-smelling odor when threatened.

NYT Strands Spangram Hint: Is It Vertical or Horizontal?

The Spangram for today’s Strands on April 3, 2025, is mostly HORIZONTAL. It starts with the letters “EN“.

The hint for today’s Spangram for Strands — what’s the study of insects?

Spoiler Warning:

Scroll past this point AT YOUR OWN RISK. Hints and answers for today’s Strands below.

Today’s NYT Strands Answers for April 3, 2025

Today’s Strands Spangram Answer

The Spangram answer for today’s Strands on April 3, 2025, is — Entomology

All Theme Words in Today’s Strands

Still looking for the theme words to get the answers for today’s NYT Strands? You can check them out below:

• DOODLE
• LADY
• STINK
• LIGHTNING
• ASSASSIN
• POTATO

The answers for today’s Strands were pretty easy. As soon as I started, I could easily solve the first theme words – LADY and DOODLE. Once I spotted OLOGY, it was only a matter of time before the rest of the puzzle revealed itself.

Do you also happen to play NYT Connections daily? If so, you can check out Wordle hints for April 3 and Connections hints for April 3 for answers and step-by-step guides to these puzzles.

What is NYT Strands Spangram and How Does It Work?

Every NYT Strands puzzle consists of a unique word or phrase that’s called the Spangram. This word or set of words will run the length of two opposite sides of the grid. One thing to note here is that, a Spangram doesn’t necessarily have to originate or end at the edge of the grid.

In its essence, the Spangram is kind of like a bigger hint that sums up today’s Strands theme in just a word or two. Since it spans across two sides of the puzzle, solving it early helps you figure out the rest of the theme words and vice versa.

Tips and Strategies for Mastering NYT Strands Puzzle

Solving an NYT Strands puzzle successfully isn’t that hard in itself, but in some cases, the approach might not be as straightforward as it looks. So, here are simple tips and tricks that we suggest you follow to crack the theme words and Spangram for Strands puzzles:

• Always start at the corners: No two puzzles are the same. But the chances of the Spangram extending to a diagonal form are quite low. So, the best strategy is to find and decrypt relevant words that are at the corners of the grid.
• Don’t be ashamed to get hints: Sometimes, a theme word could be all you need to solve the entire puzzle. If that requires getting a hint using non-theme words, then that’s the first thing you should do. After all, the point is to have fun and figure this out, like all of us.
• Think both literally and figuratively: Not all themes may land you in the same sense of thought. Some puzzles may welcome more clever answers that may convey something totally different from their actual meaning.
• Aim for the Spangram: The Spangram is what splits the Strands board in half. So, figuring it out will help you cross out other potential approaches for a theme. Deciphering even half of the Spangram can get you close to the rest of the answers.

Still finding it difficult to master the art of NYT Strands? Follow our guide and learn how to play Strands, along with more helpful tips and tricks.

NYT Wordle is a satisfying and tricky test of vocabulary and logic that challenges players to guess a new five-letter word every day. However, things can get a little too challenging at times, and that probably explains why you’re here. So, if you don’t want to break your word-guessing streak or get too frustrated, take a look at today’s Wordle hints and answer for puzzle #1384 for April 3, 2025, down below!

How to Play Wordle

Wordle is a word puzzle game by The New York Times. You are given six attempts to guess a five-letter word. The letters are highlighted in Yellow, Green, and Grey when you input a word. Yellow denotes that the letter appears in today’s Wordle answer, but it’s not at the right spot. Meanwhile, when a letter turns green, it means you have guessed the right letter in the right position. At last, a grey letter means the letter is not part of today’s answer.

While it may seem that winning at Wordle is easy, it is difficult to get that pesky five-letter word right. To help you out, here are some quick tips on how to play Wordle:

• Open with a strong word – Using the right Wordle starting words rich with multiple vowels and consonants is important. While you can take a look at our dedicated guide, starting words like AISLE, SALTY, and DINER are my go-to choices.
• Pay attention to colors – Keep track of the yellow, green, and grayed-out letters to eliminate incorrect positions and letters. To make every guess count, avoid accidentally repeating letters that have already been eliminated.
• Isolate the vowels – There can be days when your usual starting words don’t help much. In that case, try to test the remaining vowels by using different words.
• Repeating letters is good – Don’t be afraid of repeating letters as history is proof that there are chances the Wordle answer will have one or two letters that repeat themselves.
• Use the Wordlebot – As described above, NYT’s Wordlebot is an intuitive bot that analyzes your responses and compares them against itself. Instilling some healthy competition can help you improve your own Wordle guessing and see what you could have done better.

If you still need more details, learn how to play Wordle and check out more Wordle tips and tricks to ensure you get the answer almost every time.

Hints for Today’s Wordle Answer for April 3

We know you are here for Wordle hints and clues, and we are eager to help you. Like always, to assist you with today’s puzzle, we list the starting word for today’s Wordle answer, whether it has any vowels or repeating letters, and more.

After that, we also provide an additional hint for today’s Wordle game to get one step closer to the answer. So scroll down if you’re ready. SPOILERS AHEAD!

Does Today’s Wordle Have Any Vowels?

Today’s Wordle answer for Thursday, April 3, 2025, has two vowels.

If you guess the vowels correctly, there is a high possibility that you will guess the correct 5-letter answer in no time.

Does the Wordle Today Have Double Letters?

Well, there are no double letters in the Wordle answer today.

What Does Today’s Wordle Answer Start with?

Today’s Wordle answer starts with the letter “S.”

Spoiler Warning:

Scroll slowly past this point. Major hint and answer for today’s Wordle #1384 lie ahead.

Additional Hint for Today’s Wordle Answer

If the above-mentioned hints haven’t helped much, here’s the Wordle cheat hint that will definitely get you to the answer. The final hint for today is:

Sounds like sheer.

What Is Today’s Wordle Answer?

The answer for Wordle today on April 3, 2025, is SHEAR.

Meaning of Shear — It can refer to a cutting tool, like large scissors.

As I keep saying, SALTY, DINER, and POUCH are certainly one of the best holy trinities of Wordle starting words. These three words cover so many vowels and consonants that they work magically for the most part. Today was no different, and these three solved the game single-handedly, confirming S and R as the starting and ending letters, respectively. Now, all I had to do was place the yellow A, E, and H I got from these three,e and there you go, SHEAR was a super easy find.

Do you also solve NYT Connections and Strands every day? Check out our posts for Strands hints for April 3 and Connections hints for April 3 since they include helpful tips and clues to today’s puzzles.

Previous Wordle Answers

For regular Wordle players, we have curated the answers of all past Wordle answers in one place. If you are trying to find patterns in these word puzzles, check out our list of past Wordle answers.

Why Is Wordle Still So Popular?

Despite over 1,350 puzzles and nearly four years since its initial surge, Wordle is still going strong as a free-to-play word puzzle game that it is. What started as a simple game to pass the time during the pandemic has now become a daily habit for millions of The New York Times readers.

Just like reading your early morning newspaper, Wordle adds some productive value to your daily life as a brainteaser, which explains the incredible player base. Some avid Wordle players even stay up late to solve the puzzle as soon as it releases at 12:00 AM local time.

The fact that there’s a single puzzle on a daily basis that every player tries to solve makes it all the more competitive and challenging. According to a report by The Conversation, just in 2022, Wordle had around a whopping 3 million users across the world. As of 2025, one can only imagine where this number has soared.

That said, if you are one of them, hope the Wordle hints we shared today helped you figure out the answer without having to scroll to the answer.