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ICYMI: the 7 biggest tech stories of the week, from Meta Quest 3 to Raspberry Pi 5

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The tech launches show no sign of slowing down as we head into October, with this week serving up another generous round of tech treats to help us wash down last week’s helpings of Microsoft Copilot, Amazon’s Alexa AI and iOS 17.

This time, it was Meta’s turn to take to the stage at Meta Connect, where it made the unsurprising full announcement of the Meta Quest 3, alongside some big AI news. You can read about both of those below, alongside our verdict on DJI’s new Mini 4 Pro drone (spoiler: it’s great).

In between all of that, we were sorely tempted to pre-order a new Raspberry Pi 5 so that it can sit on our shelf collecting dust again, and we also found time to celebrate Google’s 25th birthday. So if you were too busy this week living in actual reality rather than virtual reality, let us fill you in on all the tech news you missed…

7. Google turned 25 – and we celebrated in style

A laptop screen on a yellow background showing a Google logo made of birthday balloons

(Image credit: Google)

Okay, most birthday celebrations include party hats, candles and awkwardly fighting co-workers for a slice of cake. But for Google’s 25th birthday this week, we decided to honor it in the only way we know how – by writing a series of features delving into the big G’s biggest successes, mistakes and exciting future projects.

We looked back on how on earth we survived before Google (if you remember Altavista, Hotmail and Netscape, make sure to give that a read), praised our favorite unsung Google apps and services, and lamented the Google graveyard projects that we wish still existed.

Naturally, we also ranked the best Google Doodles of all time and also the best Google Easter egg surprises hidden in its various apps and services (including, most recently, Android 14). And as a nightcap, we looked ahead to the next 25 years of Google and its most promising future projects.

6. The Raspberry Pi 5 arrived to power your DIY projects

Raspberry Pi 5 board

(Image credit: Raspberry Pi Foundation)

Partial to a DIY coding project? The Raspberry Pi has always been a great board for the hobbyist tinkerer – and now a powerful fifth version has just been launched with a new CPU and more.

Okay, there may be some issues with availability despite pre-orders kicking off ahead of an October launch, but it looks like the Pi 5 will be worth waiting for. The main boost is a quad-core Arm Cortex-A76 CPU running at 2.4GHz, and a major upgrade from the Pi 4’s 1.8GHz chip.

But you also get a new VideoCore VII GPU for a boost in graphical performance, Bluetooth 5.0 and two HDMI outputs (alongside a pair of USB 3.0 ports) that let you hook up it up to two 4K displays (at 60Hz, with HDR support). Not bad at all for the $60 / £60 / AU$125 (4GB version) and $80 / £79 / AU$95 (8GB) price tags.

5. Dune became our next Netflix must-watch

Dune poster

(Image credit: Warner Bros. / HBO)

Well, we didn’t expect Dune, one of 2021’s best movies, to take an Ornithopter-based trip to Netflix, but that’s exactly what’s happening very, very soon.

That’s right, one of the best Max movies is joining the world’s best streaming service on October 1, meaning more of us can stream Denis Villeneuve’s epic film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal book whenever we want. You can find out if it’s worth watching by reading our Dune review first.

Will it make it onto our best Netflix movies list? Most likely, but Dune’s arrival on Netflix would’ve been so much better if its sequel was still set to arrive in early November. Unfortunately, Dune Part Two has been delayed until March 2024, meaning you’ll have to get your spice-laden fix of Arrakis via the first film for the next few months.

4. The iPhone 15 ran into a few teething issues

The iPhone 15 Pro Max on a khaki green background

(Image credit: Apple)

This week we saw the first iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro phones delivered to their new owners – and while most were excited to receive their new pocket companions, some discovered a few small issues with the first batch of Apple’s new phones. 

Apple responded to a couple of the issues, namely an iOS bug that made the phones freeze when directly transferring data from another iPhone, plus an issue with fingerprint smudges on the Pro models’ new titanium finish. An iOS update (17.0.2) sorted out the former, while Apple updated its support page for cleaning the iPhone 15 series.

Yet anecdotal evidence suggests other small niggles are persisting for some, including the odd manufacturing defect and, later in the week, reports of overheating incidents. We haven’t discovered any of these issues during testing and there’s no suggestion that they’re widespread, but it’s something we’ll be keeping an eye on (and asking Apple about) in the week ahead.

3. Meta revealed its new AI assistants for WhatsApp and more

Meta AI

(Image credit: Meta)

Meta’s quietly been making significant strides in the world of artificial intelligence –and at this week’s Meta Connect event, it revealed a bunch of AI-powered tools that are coming to the likes of WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger.

The most useful is arguably a new AI image generation and editing feature for Instagram, which will soon help you apply effects like a watercolor filter or convert it to black and white. But Meta is also baking a lineup of 28 AI characters into its three messaging ups, making them more like a ‘social’ version of ChatGPT.

These characters are inspired by celebrities like Kendall Jenner, Mr. Beast, Paris Hilton, and Snoop Dogg. You’ll be able to have direct conversations with these ‘personas’ and even inquire about Paris Hilton’s favorite lip gloss. As you chat with these characters, their profile images dynamically animate, adding an engaging visual element that’s often lacking in conversations with typical AI chatbots.

2. The DJI Mini 4 Pro landed and became our favorite small drone

DJI Mini 4 Pro in the hand with propellors folded awway

(Image credit: DJI)

If you’re looking to get into aerial photography and videography, then the DJI Mini 3 Pro has long been our recommendation for beginners – and this week it was succeeded by (you guessed it) the Mini 4 Pro.

Okay, not a lot has changed on the camera front, with the Mini 4 Pro offering the same 24mm f/1.7 camera as before – it has a 1/1.3in sensor for shooting 48MP photos and 4K video. 

But what has been upgraded is the drone’s obstacle-sensing, which is now omnidirectional for safer flying, plus the inclusion of Ocusync 4.0 connectivity and waypoints (for pre-determining a route for your drone to fly through). Not a major upgrade, then, but the Mini 4 Pro still does enough to inherit the crown of being the best drone for most people.

1. The Meta Quest 3 became the best VR headset you can buy

Hamish smiling while playing a VR game using the Meta Quest 3, he's standing in front of a plant in a large living room-like space

(Image credit: Meta)

Alongside its new AI personalities, Meta finally unveiled the Meta Quest 3 – and based on our experiences with it so far (which you can read more about in our hands-on Meta Quest 3 review) it’s the best VR headset you can buy.

Thanks to its Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, the Meta Quest 3 boasts a 2.5x better graphical performance than the Quest 2, plus it has full-color mixed reality that’s higher quality than what we’ve seen from its rivals – even the Meta Quest Pro. Best of all, the Quest 3 is a reasonable price at just $499.99 / £479.99 / AU$799.99 for the 128GB version.

Sure it could have higher RAM, and eye-tracking would have been appreciated, but we don’t think you’ll find a finer VR headset for this price.

Quordle today – hints and answers for Saturday, September 30 (game #614)

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

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

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

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

I’m a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who’s been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #614 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #614) – hint #1 – Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

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

Quordle today (game #614) – hint #2 – total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

The total number of vowels across today’s Quordle answers is 8.

Quordle today (game #614) – hint #3 – repeated letters

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

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #614) – hint #4 – total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 12.

Quordle today (game #614) – hint #5 – uncommon letters

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

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

Quordle today (game #614) – hint #6 – starting letters (1)

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #614) – hint #7 – starting letters (2)

What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with?

• M

• C

• S

• G

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

Quordle today (game #614) – the answers

Quordle answers for game 614 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today’s Quordle, game #614, are…

  • MELEE
  • CHECK
  • SHONE
  • GLIDE

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


Daily Sequence today (game #614) – the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 614 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today’s Quordle Daily Sequence, game #614, are…

  • LAPEL
  • STRIP
  • DRAFT
  • POKER

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #613, Friday 29 September: PARER, CLASP, SHARD, JERKY
  • Quordle #612, Thursday 28 September: SAUCY, PEACH, SURER, STRIP
  • Quordle #611, Wednesday 27 September: NOISY, CLEAT, EAGER, CARAT
  • Quordle #610, Tuesday 26 September: SEDAN, CHARD, CHASM, GUSTO
  • Quordle #609, Monday 25 September: LEASH, GAZER, GUILE, KNEED
  • Quordle #608, Sunday 24 September: LUCKY, ANGRY, QUIET, LUCID
  • Quordle #607, Saturday 23 September: HEARD, LOATH, GUEST, SIGMA
  • Quordle #606, Friday 22 September: CHILI, METRO, PUREE, KIOSK
  • Quordle #605, Thursday 21 September: AWARE, SHONE, SHADE, SHELF
  • Quordle #604, Wednesday 20 September: TAMER, SNOUT, BLAND, SLEEP
  • Quordle #603, Tuesday 19 September: WACKY, LAYER, FRUIT, MINER
  • Quordle #602, Monday 18 September: SWEAR, LOWLY, STAND, UPSET
  • Quordle #601, Sunday 17 September: SCRUB, DUSTY, QUOTH, UNCLE
  • Quordle #600, Saturday 16 September: FLAIL, ALTAR, YACHT, HAUNT
  • Quordle #599, Friday 15 September: FISHY, DRAKE, TORUS, SMOTE
  • Quordle #598, Thursday 14 September: CHEST, RIVER, THERE, EMCEE
  • Quordle #597, Wednesday 13 September: GUESS, MICRO, DROOP, ELATE
  • Quordle #596, Tuesday 12 September: CYNIC, GRUEL, CACTI, TOWER
  • Quordle #595, Monday 11 September: RECUT, GREED, COVER, METER
  • Quordle #594, Sunday 10 September: TRAIN, RIPER, BLACK, SCRAM

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

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

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

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

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

Oh, and it’s difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

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

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

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

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

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

5. Answers are never plural.

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

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

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

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

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

What is a good Quordle strategy?

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

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

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

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

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

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

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

2. Narrow things down

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

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

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

Today’s Wordle hints – answer, clues and tips for game #833, Saturday, September 30

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It’s time for your daily round of Wordle hints, expertly crafted to help you keep your streak going even on the toughest of days. 

You might think that you don’t need any clues for Wordle today, but remember: failure in this game is only ever six guesses away.   

Below, you’ll find a selection of Wordle hints to guide you in the right direction. You don’t have to use them all, but there are five in total should you need them, covering vowels, starting letter, ending letter and more. And if you don’t have time to play at all, you can see the answer, too. 

Want more word-based fun? My Quordle today page contains hints and answers for that game, which remains the best of all the main Wordle alternatives.

SPOILER WARNING: Wordle hints and today’s answer are below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to see them.

Wordle hints (game #833) – clue #1 – Vowels

How many vowels does today’s Wordle have?

Wordle today has a vowel in one place*.

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

Wordle hints (game #833) – clue #2 – first letter

What letter does today’s Wordle begin with?

The first letter in today’s Wordle answer is D.

D is the ninth most common starting letter in the game, so maybe slightly less likely than you might expect. 

Wordle hints (game #833) – clue #3 – repeated letters

Does today’s Wordle have any repeated letters?

There are repeated letters in today’s Wordle.

Repeated letters are quite common in the game, with 748 of the 2,309 Wordle answers containing one. However, it’s still more likely that a Wordle doesn’t have one.

Wordle hints (game #833) – clue #4 – ending letter

What letter does today’s Wordle end with?

The last letter in today’s Wordle is Y.

Y is the second most common ending letter in the game, behind only E. In total, 364 Wordle answers end with a Y.

Wordle hints (game #833) – clue #5 – last chance

Still looking for more Wordle hints today? Here’s an extra one for game #833.

  • Today’s Wordle answer is a familial relation.

If you just want to know today’s Wordle answer now, simply scroll down – but I’d always recommend trying to solve it on your own first. We’ve got lots of Wordle tips and tricks to help you, including a guide to the best Wordle start words.

If you don’t want to know today’s answer then DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER BECAUSE IT IS PRINTED BELOW. So don’t say you weren’t warned!


Today’s Wordle answer (game #833)

Wordle answer 833 on a yellow background

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today’s Wordle answer (game #833) is… DADDY.

In the whole of Wordledom there are only 20 solutions (out of the original 2,309) that contain a three-times-repeated letter. Today is one of those 20 games.

We’ve had four of them before, namely SISSY (game #2), FLUFF (#382), MUMMY (#491) and NANNY (#714). And based on what’s gone before, it’s no surprise that today’s puzzle is catching out a lot of people.

WordleBot, the NYT’s helper tool, records the average score of all games played, giving us a very good idea of each puzzle’s relative difficulty. We don’t have an average score for SISSY, because it was just the third game ever (the first was game #0, if you’re confused why this is #2) and it appeared before the tool’s launch. But we have a figure for the other three, and they’re 4.7 for FLUFF, 5.8 for MUMMY and 5.2 for NANNY – that’s a whopping overall average of 5.2. 

It should therefore be no surprise that DADDY also has a very high average score, in this case 4.9. That it’s slightly lower than MUMMY is probably down to the fact that A is a more common letter than U, though that doesn’t explain why NANNY was also higher.

Anyway, this was undoubtedly a tough one – the equal eighth hardest in 2023 so far, and the most difficult in September. Nor was it one where the best Wordle starting words made a huge amount of difference. Only three of the top 20 left fewer than 100 possible solutions, and only one of those, TRADE, made any real dent in that number, leaving just 13. Oh, and AUDIO, which isn’t one of the best options but which is popular, left 25, and that will have brought down the average a little.

My choice, STARE, was next-to-useless, leaving 186 possible answers. However, I was once again helped out by my choice of second word. Optimizing this is almost as important as getting your first guess right, if you want to maximize your average score. 

Of course, some people don’t take this quite so seriously as I do – and I admit that it takes away a little of the fun from the game to always be so strategic. Then again, without a good second guess today, you might well have scored a dreaded fail.

Anyway, with a single yellow A in place, I knew to play BADLY, which has regularly come up trumps for me in the past. Today it performed admirably, giving me a green A, green D and green Y and reducing my answers list from 186 to a mere three.

As it happens, WordleBot and I disagreed about what three words these were. We both had CADDY and DADDY, but WordleBot said PADDY was also an option while I had written down FADDY. It didn’t matter in the end, but that could have hurt me.

I was tempted to play a narrowing-down-word next, to guarantee a four, but decided instead that as there was now no chance of me failing, I would instead shoot for a 3/6. But which to play? Well, I went with CADDY because the Ryder Cup is currently underway and I thought the NYT might have dropped in a golf-related term. That was wrong, but I played DADDY next and scored a 4/6 anyway.   

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


Yesterday’s Wordle hints (game #832)

In a different time zone where it’s still Friday? Don’t worry – I can give you some clues for Wordle #832, too.

  • Wordle yesterday had vowels in three places.

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

  • The first letter in yesterday’s Wordle answer was A.

A is a reasonably common starting letter in Wordle: 140 games begin with this letter. It ranks 6th among starting letters, behind S, C, B, T and P.

  • There were no repeated letters in yesterday’s Wordle.

Repeated letters are quite common in the game, with 748 of the 2,309 Wordle answers containing one. However, it’s still more likely that a Wordle doesn’t have one.

  • The last letter in yesterday’s Wordle was E.

E is the most common letter to end a Wordle answer by far. That’s one of the reasons why many of the best start words, including SLATE, CRANE, CRATE and STARE, all end with one.

Still looking for more Wordle hints? Here’s an extra one for game #832.

  • Yesterday’s Wordle answer is a color.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer (game #832)

Wordle answer 832 on a yellow background

(Image credit: New York Times)

Yesterday’s Wordle answer (game #832) was… AZURE.

Right then, let’s talk about Z. It’s the fourth least common letter in the game, ahead of only X, Q and J. It appears in just 40 Wordle answers in total, out of the original 2,309 at least; it’s possible the NYT will add some extra ones in. 

You wouldn’t necessarily expect one, then. But today’s game is worse than that, because this Z is in position #2 in the word. There are only two games that have that positioning – I don’t know for sure what the other one is, though I have a good guess. But what I am certain of is that it hasn’t already appeared. 

So today’s game is a first for Wordle. And all of this a long-winded way of saying that your brain may well have not planned for the possibility of that Z being there. And in turn, that’s one of the factors that will potentially have made today’s Wordle a tricky one. 

WordleBot, the NYT’s helper tool, says people are solving it in 4.1 guesses on average, making it among the trickiest puzzles we’ve had in September. FRANK, EXERT and GNASH were all at 4.3, DWELL and GIDDY at 4.2, but otherwise this is as tough as it’s been this month.

Or rather, it might have been. As always, your choice of starting word will have made a huge difference – and if you don’t use one of them at all, then good luck with today’s game. Of course, some people like to start with ADIEU or AUDIO, because they contain four vowels. This is generally not a wise move – there are far better options out there, as explained in my best Wordle starting words guide. But today, they were both helpful, with AUDIO leaving just 10 possible answers and ADIEU only five.

My choice, STARE, was also great today – I had only six to pick from, namely CADRE, ADORE, AZURE, AFIRE, PADRE and AFORE.

Now, I could lie here and say that I spotted all of those myself, but I didn’t. No, I only came up with two, ADORE and AZURE. But in fairness, who thinks of PADRE or AFIRE? Not me, obviously.

With (in my head) a 50/50 choice, I decided to simply play the most likely answer, which had to be ADORE; I was certain that would be in Wordle’s answer list, whereas AZURE seemed a little less likely. Anyway, ADORE was wrong but it confirmed that AZURE had to be the solution.

Or did it? In reality, no. Because the answer could still have been AFORE, but I’d missed that one. So I played AZURE thinking it was the only possible answer even though it wasn’t, but got lucky anyway and scored a 3/6 on a tough day. Result! 


Wordle answers: The past 50

I’ve been playing Wordle every day for more than a year now and have tracked all of the previous answers so I can help you improve your game. Here are the last 50 solutions starting with yesterday’s answer, or check out my past Wordle answers page for the full list.

  • Wordle #832, Friday 29 September: AZURE
  • Wordle #831, Thursday 28 September: COACH
  • Wordle #830, Wednesday 27 September: SMILE
  • Wordle #829, Tuesday 26 September: LOYAL
  • Wordle #828, Monday 25 September: ROCKY
  • Wordle #827, Sunday 24 September: RIGHT
  • Wordle #826, Saturday 23 September: CAROL
  • Wordle #825, Friday 22 September: BRUSH
  • Wordle #824, Thursday 21 September: STONE
  • Wordle #823, Wednesday 20 September: SNARE
  • Wordle #822, Tuesday 19 September: CLOSE
  • Wordle #821, Monday 18 September: FRANK
  • Wordle #820, Sunday 17 September: MUSIC
  • Wordle #819, Saturday 16 September: ANGEL
  • Wordle #818, Friday 15 September: EXERT
  • Wordle #817, Thursday 14 September: RAYON
  • Wordle #816, Wednesday 13 September: CLEAR
  • Wordle #815, Tuesday 12 September: WHISK
  • Wordle #814, Monday 11 September: OLDER
  • Wordle #813, Sunday 10 September: QUOTE
  • Wordle #812, Saturday 9 September: LUCKY
  • Wordle #811, Friday 8 September: ROUSE
  • Wordle #810, Thursday 7 September: DWELL
  • Wordle #809, Wednesday 6 September: GNASH
  • Wordle #808, Tuesday 5 September: BIRCH
  • Wordle #807, Monday 4 September: GIDDY
  • Wordle #806, Sunday 3 September: AWAIT
  • Wordle #805, Saturday 2 September: ONION
  • Wordle #804, Friday 1 September: SPACE
  • Wordle #803, Thursday 31 August: BRIDE
  • Wordle #802, Wednesday 30 August: AUDIO
  • Wordle #801, Tuesday 29 August: CAPER
  • Wordle #800, Monday 28 August: WRITE
  • Wordle #799, Sunday 27 August: PEACE
  • Wordle #798, Saturday 26 August: CHOIR
  • Wordle #797, Friday 25 August: OCEAN
  • Wordle #796, Thursday 24 August: WORDY
  • Wordle #795, Wednesday 23 August: VERVE
  • Wordle #794, Tuesday 22 August: SPICE
  • Wordle #793, Monday 21 August: BEACH
  • Wordle #792, Sunday 20 August: QUEST
  • Wordle #791, Saturday 19 August: MAGMA
  • Wordle #790, Friday 18 August: EXACT
  • Wordle #789, Thursday 17 August: AMISS
  • Wordle #788, Wednesday 16 August: SCRUB
  • Wordle #787, Tuesday 15 August: INDEX
  • Wordle #786, Monday 14 August: SNAKY
  • Wordle #785, Sunday 13 August: WRATH
  • Wordle #784, Saturday 12 August: QUICK
  • Wordle #783, Friday 11 August: HELLO
  • Wordle #782, Thursday 10 August: EMPTY

What is Wordle?

If you’re on this page then you almost certainly know what Wordle is already, and indeed have probably been playing it for a while. And even if you’ve not been playing it, you must surely have heard of it by now, because it’s the viral word game phenomenon that took the world by storm last year and is still going strong in 2023.

We’ve got a full guide to the game in our What is Wordle page, but if you just want a refresher then here are the basics.

What is Wordle?

Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day. You get six guesses, with each one revealing a little more information. If one of the letters in your guess is in the answer and in the right place, it turns green. If it’s in the answer but in the wrong place, it turns yellow. And if it’s not in the answer at all it turns gray. Simple, eh? 

It’s played online via the Wordle website or the New York Times’ Crossword app (iOS / Android), and is entirely free. 

Crucially, the answer is the same for everyone each day, meaning that you’re competing against the rest of the world, rather than just against yourself or the game. The puzzle then resets each day at midnight in your local time, giving you a new challenge, and the chance to extend your streak.

What are the Wordle rules?

The rules of Wordle are pretty straightforward, but with a couple of curveballs thrown in for good measure.

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

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

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

4. Answers are never plural.

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

6. Each guess must be a valid word in Wordle’s dictionary. You can’t guess ABCDE, for instance.

7. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses unless you play on Hard mode.

8. You have six guesses to solve the Wordle.

9. You must complete the daily Wordle before midnight in your timezone.

10. All answers are drawn from Wordle’s list of 2,309 solutions. However…

11. Wordle will accept a wider pool of words as guesses – some 10,000 of them. For instance, you can guess a plural such as WORDS. It definitely won’t be right (see point 4 above), but Wordle will accept it as a guess.

iCloud gets a makeover with a revamped look and quality-of-life upgrades

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Following updates to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, it’s now iCloud’s turn as Apple is redesigning the website as well as introducing a variety of new features.

It’s not a complete overhaul for iCloud mind you, as the quick-glance widgets from last year’s update are still here. The difference this time is users will be able to do more with them. You can now “customize what you see in Tiles”, from choosing a specific folder from the Notes app on your iPhone to picking out your favorite photographs. It’s even possible to have multiple layouts of the same tile displayed on the front page. 

ICloud's new layout

(Image credit: Future)

Quality-of-life changes

Next, Quick Actions are being added, allowing you mark reminders as complete or flag a particular email among other things. You can perform these by hovering over your files on iCloud then selecting the three dots that appear to reveal the menu. Apple states “on a touch device” just swipe left. Also, if you’re a PC user, you’re now able to receive Mail and Calendar notifications for incoming emails or event invitations.

Everything described so far has been for the homepage. You see more once you start delving into each of iCloud’s tools.

Most of the changes are nice quality-of-life upgrades that make your life a bit easier. For iCloud Mail, you’re now able to attach files to messages directly from your storage and you can unsend recently sent emails before they reach the recipient’s inbox. 

The Calendar isn’t changing much, but it is getting Identity Control for hiding the email addresses “others see in event invitations”. Additionally, Apple is letting people use their Custom Email Domain to combine their “Calendar and Mail identities” into one.

New image tools

For Photos, you get two new ways to enjoy your pictures. There’s the Memories tool that’ll go through your images in a full-screen view, similar to what Google Photos has on its platform. And you have Slideshow, which, as the name suggests, lets you view a selection of images in a slideshow format.

Finally, Notes is receiving several changes. The more notable two are Shared Folder for collaborating with others on a specific file of notes and Enhanced Search. The latter lets you narrow search results “against categories like shared notes” or tags.

That’s pretty much it for the major upgrades. The update is currently live. All you have to do is sign in, and iCloud will then take you through a brief tour of the revamped layout.

If you’re looking for another service to save important files, we recommend checking out TechRadar’s list of the best cloud storage for 2023.

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Veteran and Civil Servant Outreach Award Voting is Now Open!

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The spotlight is now on the 2023 Defender Service Awards, particularly the Veteran and Civil Servant Outreach Award. This exceptional award, presented in association with Hearts & Science, is an opportunity to recognize the steadfast dedication of organizations working for our veterans and civil servants.

The road to the finals witnessed an inspiring number of applicants, each showcasing a profound commitment to the cause. As a result of rigorous selection, five outstanding finalists have emerged. The decision now rests with the community to select the most deserving recipient.

Establishing and sustaining a veteran non-profit is a commendable feat, laden with challenges. Many of these noble institutions are spearheaded by veterans themselves, individuals who, after dedicating a chunk of their lives to national service, continue their mission to assist fellow veterans. 

With fundraising challenges intensifying as the global war on terrorism recedes from the public consciousness, the Defender Service Award becomes a beacon of hope for many veteran and civil servant non-profits. The accolade provides more than recognition; it offers tangible support. 

The triumphant organization will receive a customized Defender 130 model and a substantial $25,000. However, every finalist carries forward a legacy of service, and each will be honored with a $5,000 prize to further their mission.

This year’s finalists are:

After learning about their impactful initiatives and understanding their objectives, the public is urged to cast their vote

Vote Now

Help us rally around these remarkable organizations. Their efforts have already made a difference, and with collective support, they can achieve even greater milestones.

Best of luck to each of the finalists and, on behalf of Men’s Journal, our sincerest gratitude to all those who serve our veteran and civil servant communities.

Huge Archaeological Discovery Made Within Egyptian Pyramid

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Scientists have unearthed previously unknown rooms in the pyramid of Sahure in Giza, Egypt.

The dig was led by Mohamed Khaled, an Egyptologist at Julius-Maximilians-Universität of Würzburg (JMU) in Germany. His team unearthed a number of chambers (or “magazines”) which likely stored “funerary furniture.” They promise to give new insight to the pyramid itself, as well as to the pharaoh Sahure himself, who ruled around 2500 B.C., during the Fifth Dynasty.

According to his report on the findings, Khaled’s mission was to safeguard the pyramid’s integrity. In 2019, he and his team set about stabilizing the structure from within, going from room to room. During this process, they came upon the chambers which had been inaccessible to previous explorers. 

Of course, that was a great moment,” Khaled told Men’s Journal. “We were jumping from happiness [because] we have achieved something that no one [had] done before.” His team and the construction workers had an impromptu party to celebrate.

During a similar mission in 1836, John Perring had seen indications of passageways which he suspected led to storage rooms, but they were inaccessible due to debris and general decay. Khaled and his researchers used 3D laser scanning to intricately map the inside and outside of the pyramid, giving them a slight edge. Thanks to their efforts, John Perring’s hypothesis has finally been proven true. “We were able to do this thanks to our technology and the good team,” Khaled said.

Describing their discovery, the Egyptologist told us: “The rooms are magazines for the funerary furniture of King Sahure. Unfortunately, we did not find anything inside, but one can imagine that King Sahura had more treasures than King Tutankhamun. The state under Sahura’s reign had a very strong economic situation.”

Khaled says the rooms were used as storage for “funerary furniture.”

Mohamed Khaled / Julius-Maximilians-Universität of Würzburg

Eight chambers have been excavated so far. Most of them have suffered severe deterioration over the years, but parts of the original walls and some of the floor can still be seen. In order to ensure the pyramid didn’t collapse at some point Khaled and his team replaced the damaged walls with new retaining walls.

Once the restoration is complete, Khaled and his team hope to open it up to visitors, so that everyone can explore King Sahure’s secret rooms.

Mohamed Khaled examines the passageways within the pyramid.

Mohamed Khaled / Julius-Maximilians-Universität of Würzburg

Ryder Cup 2023 live stream: players, day two schedule and how to watch golf online, what TV channel

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The 44th edition of the Ryder Cup got underway on Friday at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club and it was Team Europe that made a lightning start, winning all four of the morning foursomes. 

The afternoon session saw Team USA threaten to dominate as they led in all but one of the fourballs on the closing stretch. However, Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm and Justin Rose all holed crucial putts on the 18th to pick up half points for Europe and secure a 6½-1½ lead. Can Team USA stage a fightback on day two in Rome? 

You can watch every drive, chip and putt with our guide to getting a Ryder Cup live stream – no matter where in the world you are. It’s FREE in Italy, too. 

Watch Ryder Cup 2023 live stream

Dates: September 29 – October 1 

Start times: Fri and Sat at 6am BST / 1am ET / 3pm AEST and Sunday at 9am BST / 4am ET / 6pm AEST 

Venue: Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, Rome, Italy

TV coverage: stream NBC and Golf Channel (via Peacock TV, Sling TV or FuboTV in US | Sky Sports in UK

FREE live streams: RAI (Italy)

Watch anywhere: grab our No. 1 rated VPN 100% risk-free

Two years ago in Wisconsin, the triumphant American players partied hard after a crushing victory, white Europe’s Rory McIlroy was reduced to tears. Team USA were simply unstoppable as they were cheered on by raucous home crowds, with Dustin Johnson playing some unbelievable golf as he claimed five points for his side. 

This time around there is no room in the team for Johnson, or fellow LIV Golf player Bryson DeChambeau. Even without the powerful duo, the American team looks stacked as it includes 2023 major championship winners Brooks Koepka (PGA Championship), Wyndham Clark (U.S. Open) and Brian Harman (The Open Championship). 

Team USA also boast the world number one in their line-up. Scottie Sheffler has been in remarkable form this year, winning six times on the PGA Tour and impressed two years ago on his Ryder Cup debut when he secured a resounded 4-and-3 singles match victory over Jon Rahm.

Rahm, the reigning Masters champion, will be out for revenge this time around, as will McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry – who all represented Europe last time out. 

The Europeans will also be boosted by the knowledge that a player from Team USA hasn’t won on the PGA or DP World Tour since late July, while Sepp Straka, McIlroy, Hovland and Ludvig Aberg have all triumphed in recent months. 

Can an in-form European line-up emerge victorious in Italy? Or will Team USA make it back-to-back victories? The stakes could barely be higher, so follow our guide as we explain how to watch a 2023 Ryder Cup live stream from anywhere.


Can I watch a free live stream?

Golf fans in Italy can watch FREE live coverage of the Ryder Cup 2023 on Rai 2 and the RaiPlay streaming service. Travelling outside of Italy? Use a VPN to access the free stream as if you were back home in Italy. 

How to watch Ryder Cup live stream from outside your country

There are loads of easy ways to watch a Ryder Cup golf live stream in the UK and US, as well as the likes of Australia, Canada and Australia – scroll down for a full breakdown of options. But because of geo-restrictions, you’ll need to use a VPN service if you’re abroad to dial in to a location that lets you watch the golf online in the same way you would at home.

A VPN is perfect for this, as it allows you to change your IP address so you appear to be in your country of residence, where you usual streaming services and subscriptions are based. You may be surprised by how easy it is to get stared using one, too.

Use a VPN to watch Ryder Cup golf online from anywhere

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Watching from abroad is as easy as a drive, a pitch and a putt…

1. Download and install a VPN – our recommendation for streamers is ExpressVPN

2. Connect to the relevant server location – launch the VPN app, click on ‘choose location’ and select a server from your home location

3. Head to the chosen broadcaster’s live stream – for example, Italians can head to RaiPlay or UK golf fans to Sky Go


usa flag

Ryder Cup live stream: how to watch for FREE and without cable in the US

In the US, the tournament is being shown on the Golf Channel and NBC – which means every moment of the action is being shown on Peacock TV, NBC’s streaming service.

If you’ve got the channels on cable, simply head to the Golf Channel website or the NBC website and log in with your cable credentials to stream the golf online.

How to watch Ryder Cup online without cable

As mentioned above, Peacock is the best place to watch the Ryder Cup. It’s showing all of the action, from 1am ET on Friday and Saturday, and from 4am ET on Sunday.

Plans start from $5.99 a month (can be cancelled any time) and, as well as the golf, a Peacock TV subscription gives you access to Premier League soccer, WWE, Premiership rugby, and the best that NBC has to offer on demand.

For a fuller OTT solution, Sling TV is perhaps the best value cord-cutting service out there right now. Its Sling Blue plan hosts NBC and is $40 a month, while an $11 Sports Extra add-on nets you the extra Golf Channel coverage as well.

Another great option if all you’re after this week is the golf is FuboTV, as it includes both the Golf Channel and NBC in its Starter plan. 

At $69.99 per month, it’s pricier than Sling but still a reasonable alternative to traditional cable with the flexibility to cancel at any point – and if you haven’t had Fubo before, you can take advantage of its FREE trial and watch the Ryder Cup 2023 without paying a penny, if that’s how you choose to play it.

Watch Ryder Cup online from abroad

You needn’t find yourself in a pickle if you’re abroad either, as using a good VPN as described above will let you watch the streaming services and content you pay for at home, from anywhere in the world.

uk flag

How to watch Ryder Cup: live stream golf in the UK

UK-based golf fans can tune into all of the Ryder Cup action on Sky Sports

Live coverage of the 2023 Ryder Cup is available through the Sky Sports Ryder Cup channel and it’s as comprehensive as it gets, running from 6am BST on days 1 and 2, and from 9am on day 3. 

Subscribers also get to watch on the move using the Sky Go app, which is available on nearly all modern phones, tablets, laptops, PCs and consoles.

For those without Sky, the best option is a Now Sky Sports monthly membership. But to go all out, check out our guide to today’s best Sky TV packages and deals.

Not in the UK this weekend? To access your usual streaming service from outside the UK, you’ll need to download a good VPN as detailed above. 

canada flag

How to watch Ryder Cup 2023: live stream golf in Canada

Canadian golf fans will find that TSN is providing coverage of the 2023 Ryder Cup, though it’s skipping day 1 entirely.

Coverage starts at 3am ET / 12am PT on Saturday for day 2, and at 5.30am ET / 2.30am PT for day 3. 

If you get TSN as part of your cable package, you’ll just be able to log in to the TSN website with details of your provider and get access to a Ryder Cup live stream.

It’s a walk in the park for cord-cutters too, who can subscribe to TSN+ on a streaming-only basis from just $8 a month or $80 annually. 

Just remember that if you’re abroad right now you can use a VPN to magically transport yourself back in Canada to live stream Ryder Cup 2023 coverage just like you would at home.

australia flag

2023 Ryder Cup live stream: how to watch for FREE in Australia

Golf fans Down Under can live stream the Ryder Cup on Fox Sports or the excellent-value streaming service Kayo Sports. 

You’ll need to have a paid subscription to watch on Fox Sports or via a Foxtel subscription. For a cheaper alternative, you can live stream Ryder Cup 2023 golf online through slick streaming platform Kayo

Kayo price plans start from a super affordable AUD$25 a month – really good value considering how much premium live sports action it hosts. 

Coverage starts at 3pm AEST on day 1 and day 2, and at 6pm for day 3. 

Not in Australia right now? Aussies abroad looking to watch a Ryder Cup live stream should find that a good VPN helps them access their home streaming services wherever they are.

new zealand flag

How to watch Ryder Cup 2023: live stream golf in New Zealand

Live Ryder Cup coverage in New Zealand comes courtesy of Sky Sport, which is available as part of a range of pay TV packages. 

Subscribers can watch online using the country’s Sky Go service, while cord-cutters and anyone else can try the Sky Sport Now streaming-only platform – where a weekly pass costs just $19.99.

The action gets underway at 6pm NZST on day 1 and day 2, while the day 3 action begins at 9pm. 

Anyone in New Zealand from abroad or vice-versa can use the VPN route outlined earlier to access their preferred coverage just like they would at home.

Team Europe for 2023 Ryder Cup

  1. Luke Donald (Team Captain)
  2. Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) – Qualification through European Points List
  3. John Rahm (Spain) – Qualification through European Points List
  4. Victor Hovland (Norway) – Qualification through World Points List
  5. Tyrrell Hatton (England) – Qualification through World Points List
  6. Robert MacIntyre (Scotland) – Qualification through European Points List
  7. Matt Fitzpatrick (England) – Qualification through World Points List
  8. Tommy Fleetwood (England) – Captain’s Pick
  9. Sepp Straka (Austria) – Captain’s Pick
  10. Justin Rose (England) – Captain’s Pick
  11. Shane Lowry (Ireland) – Captain’s Pick
  12. Nicolai Højgaard (Denmark) – Captain’s Pick
  13. Ludvig Åberg (Sweden) – Captain’s Pick

Team USA for 2023 Ryder Cup

  • Zach Johnson (Team Captain)
  • Scottie Scheffler – Qualification through U.S Rankings list.
  • Wyndham Clarke – Qualification through U.S Rankings list.
  • Brian Harman – Qualification through U.S Rankings list.
  • Patrick Cantlay – Qualification through U.S Rankings list.
  • Max Homa – Qualification through U.S Rankings list.
  • Xander Schauffele – Qualification through U.S Rankings list.
  • Sam Burns – Captain’s Pick
  • Rickie Fowler – Captain’s Pick
  • Brooks Koepka – Captain’s Pick
  • Collin Moriakawa – Captain’s Pick
  • Jordan Spieth – Captain’s Pick
  • Justin Thomas – Captain’s Pick

2023 Ryder Cup schedule 

All times are BST. 

Friday, 29 September

Morning Foursomes
Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton 4&3 Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns
Viktor Hovland Ludvig Aberg 4&3 Max Homa and Brian Harman
Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka 2&1 Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa
Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood 2&1 Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay

Afternoon Four-ball matches
Viktor Hovland and Tyrrell Hatton A/S Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth
Jon Rahm and Nicolai Hojgaard A/S Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka
Robert MacIntyre and Justin Rose A/S Max Homa and Wyndham Clark
Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick 5&3 Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele

Saturday, 30 September

Morning Foursomes
Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy vs Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth: 6:35am
Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg vs Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka: 6:50am
Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka vs Max Homa and Brian Harman: 7.05am
Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton vs Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay: 7.20am 

Afternoon Four-ball matches

Afternoon Four-ball Match 1: 11:25am
Afternoon Four-ball Match 2: 11:40am
Afternoon Four-ball Match 3: 11:55am
Afternoon Four-ball Match 4: 12:10pm 

Sunday, 1 October
Singles Matches (12 players tee off every 12 minutes), with the first match starting at 11:35 am 

Elon Musk has removed a vital feature on X – fake news could soon get a lot worse

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Elon Musk has made drastic cuts to the ‘election integrity team’ at X (formerly Twitter), a department that was responsible for combating the spread of misinformation online, and also scrapped a feature that lets users self-report false political statements.

The announcement was made just weeks after the platform said it had plans to expand its safety teams, ahead of next year’s US presidential election. Musk took to X to announce that the team had been disbanded via a typically blunt statement.

Following the team cuts, a feature that allows users to report misinformation has also been removed from the X platform.

See more

Musk acquired the platform last year for $44 billion, and his latest move raises fresh concerns about X’s ability to manage information and content surrounding important political events.

It follows a European Commission study published by TrustLab, which revealed that X has the highest ratio of misinformation spread across its content. The study analyzed content across six social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and X – that appeared in Poland, Slovakia, and Spain. 

The cuts to X’s election integrity team saw more than half of the global team laid off. It’s uncertain how many people remain on the team. This includes the department based in Ireland where X’s Co-lead of ‘threat disruption’, Aaron Rodericks, was based.

Two smartphones on a grey background showing the X app

(Image credit: Future)

Recently, X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino had told The Financial Times that the platform was “expanding the safety and election teams all around the world to focus on combating things like manipulation, surfacing of inauthentic accounts and closely monitoring the platform for any emerging threats”.

This came after Elon Musk suggested in a live-streamed interview that X could start charging all users “a small monthly payment” to use the app, beyond the existing Twitter Blue.

The feature that allowed users to report fake news on the platform has been absent since the release of the study. It was noticed by Reset Australia, an organization that campaigns for democracy in digital media, which addressed concerns in an open letter to X.

You can still report X posts that you consider to be spam and hateful; however, there’s currently no option to report electoral misinformation. In the build-up to the US Presidential election, other companies, including Google, have implemented plans to safeguard electoral information online, most recently in its move to eradicate AI deepfakes during the presidential race by enforcing AI transparency policies.

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15 Best Skincare Sets for Men in 2023

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Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services. We update when possible, but deals expire and prices can change. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. Questions? Reach us at shop@mensjournal.com.

15 Best Skincare Sets for Men in 2023

Buying your skincare products pre-bundled is a great idea—it means getting all the products you need at once, which often work particularly well in tandem and may even cost less when purchased in bulk. In the market for a skincare set designed specifically with men in mind? We’ve got you.

What Should Be in a Skincare Set?

This is fairly individual. One man might be looking for a skincare set with all the products he needs to get started with a healthier grooming routine, while another may be hoping to target signs of aging or find just one or two products to add to his bathroom shelf. Some brands offer quizzes to help you figure out which products will help you meet your goals, and other times you’re completely on your own.

In general, look for skincare sets with products you’re going to use. What’s the point of getting a skincare set with a dozen different items in it if you know most of them will gather dust in your bathroom cabinet? If you’re new to skincare and want to test the waters, look for a kit that contains trial-size products so you can sample your way through a line without fully committing.

You also want to make sure that the products in the skincare set you buy are optimized for your skin’s health. A teen won’t need anti-aging products, for example, and someone with dry skin won’t need a kit designed to sop up excess grease.

As for what shouldn’t be in a skincare set? Toxic or harsh ingredients that may cause a reaction. Some of the main culprits are parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and parabens. It’s worth noting that some skincare brands test their products on animals, which is considered animal cruelty. If that’s something that concerns you (and honestly, it should), opt for products that are labeled cruelty-free!

How to Choose the Right Skincare Set

Here are some things to keep in mind in order to settle on the perfect skincare set for you:

  • Your Skin Type. Optimal skin health starts with knowing your skin type, and this particular piece of knowledge should inform your choice when it comes to picking out the right skincare set. Not all products are safe or effective for all skin types, so don’t buy a set without figuring if it’s a good fit for your skin first. If you often feel or look greasy, you may have oily skin. If you notice frequent dry flakes, you probably have dry skin. Skin that generally seems balanced is labeled “normal,” while skin with both dry and oily patches is called “combination.” It’s worth noting if your skin gets irritated easily, as it may be sensitive.
  • Your Goals. Next, ask yourself what you’re trying to get out of your skincare routine. If you’re just looking into a skincare set out of a sense of obligation toward your complexion, a basic kit with everyday products is probably a good idea. Men looking for products to target their dark spots may want to identify brightening skincare sets, and those with frequent breakouts probably need an acne-busting bundle.
  • Your Budget. You can find skincare solutions at all different price ranges. Go into the hunt with a basic budget in mind so you know which brands are right up your alley and which you might have to save for and splurge on in the future.
  • Your Routine. We love the enthusiasm, but if you can barely summon the energy now to scrub body wash in between your toes, do you really think you’ll make the time for a fully fledged skincare routine? Be realistic about what you’re willing to take on. It’s also important to take stock of the products you already use on a daily basis. Are there any that aren’t serving you? Or ones that you feel loyal to and won’t need a duplicate of?
  • Your Scent Preferences. Some skincare products are unscented, while others contain perfume or natural fragrance. Figure out which kind you’d prefer before you buy a whole set!

What Products Make Up a Skincare Routine?

Each man has different skincare needs, but here are some staple products to look for:

  • Face Wash. This right here is the bread and butter of any man’s skincare routine! A face wash is a product you’ll use twice a day every day for a vigorous clean. It works to rid your pores of buildup, dirt, oils, and other impurities that collect there, then often replenishes skin’s moisture and provides added benefits. If you don’t have a face wash already or aren’t happy with the one you use, look for a skincare set that contains a cleanser.
  • Exfoliator. For a little extra help with cleansing (plus getting rid of flakes), there are exfoliators. These face washes can come in scrub form or use chemical exfoliants to help rid the skin’s surface of anything that doesn’t belong. You’ll want to swap this in place of your face wash a couple times a week.
  • Toner. Toner gets rubbed across your skin after cleansing in order to remove the last bits of dirt. It’s especially helpful for men with acne-prone skin, and may even reduce the size of pores.
  • Serum. Serums provide highly concentrated ingredients directly to skin, targeting issues with a more direct and in-depth approach. There are all kinds of serums out there, so you can choose one that makes the most sense for you. Maybe you want a little extra brightening help, additional moisture, or even wrinkle-busting power.
  • Moisturizer. If you were to pare your skincare routine down to just two products, those should be face wash and moisturizer. Your skin’s moisture barrier is absolutely essential for skin health and skin appearance, and moisturizer is there to reinforce it. Even men with oily skin will benefit from a moisturizer—this is a key part of any skincare set!
  • Sun Protection. Not all skincare products offer sun protection, but if you find a set with sunscreen or a moisturizer that contains SPF, go for it! This is especially true if you spend a lot of time outdoors or burn easily. Protecting your skin from the sun also helps delay aging and reduce skin damage, so take this part of your routine seriously.

1. Supply The Skincare Set

supply.co

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Supply has got it just right with this best skincare set for men. After all, most men want to keep their skincare routines simple, and this set dials it into the two most important products out there: face wash and moisturizer. That’s because the brand is all about uncomplicated skincare, creating products that are fuss-free but full to the brim with important, helpful ingredients.

In this case, the face wash is built around soothing ingredients like aloe and green tea, with plentiful hydration in the form of sodium hyaluronate and natural extracts. Coconut-derived surfactants get rid of any accumulated dirt, and there are no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or petroleum jellies to be found. The moisturizer nurtures skin to its fullest expression of health and radiance with aloe, glycerin, squalane, and plant extracts like lentil, guarana, and watermelon for antioxidants and other natural benefits. It truly doesn’t get better than this.

2. Perricone MD Brighter Together Set

amazon.com

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Men seeking help with hyperpigmentation or those who want to brighten up their complexion should opt for this set from Perricone MD. It contains a serum and a moisturizer, both of which are designed to aid in sun protection and fade discoloration. The brightening complex turns to high concentrations of vitamin C for this effect, plus vitamin E and ferulic acid for smoothness. Meanwhile, the moisturizer provides an extra dose of vitamin C plus SPF to fend off future sun damage.

3. Aesop Balance Classic Skin Care Kit

aesop.com

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Aesop’s Classic Skin Care Kit is a great way to sample the brand’s best products and come away with a full, if somewhat oversimplified, skincare routine. It all starts with the brand’s In Two Minds cleanser, loaded with witch hazel, sage leaf, and salicylic acid for clean and tight pores. Next comes the toner, using witch hazel again (plus chamomile bud and vitamin B) for soothed and moisturized skin. At long last, the brand’s moisturizer from the same line seals in H2O with jojoba esters and natural oils.

4. Sunday Riley All About Acne

ulta.com

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Next we have one of the best skincare sets for men battling it out with acne. When used in combination, these products leave pimples no chance, attacking them tirelessly at the source. The first step is a Ceramic Slip Cleanser, loaded up with kaolin clay to draw impurities out from clogged pores while natural oils balance sebum production.

Next, Sunday Riley offers a facial oil that contains salicylic acid (a favorite acne-buster) along with clarifying tea tree and black cumin oil for inflammation reduction. Once you’ve applied the face oil to your skin, it’s time for the brand’s lactic acid treatment. It uses prickly pear extract to regenerate skin without blocking pores, orchid extract for conditioning purposes (oily skin needs moisture, too!), and blue agave (the same ingredient that tequila is made of) for acne treatment.

In the mornings, follow these products with your moisturizer of choice, preferable one that contains SPF. At night, use the cleanser again to get rid of the day’s residue, then follow it with the kit’s retinoid serum, which combats acne with retinol, CoQ10, and algae. If there are any problem blemishes, hit them with the Saturn Sulfur Spot Treatment. It fades spots fast with sulfur, tea tree, and bentonite.

5. Dr. Jart + Cicapair Redness Rescue

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Dr. Jart + has put together this Redness Rescue Kit for men with irritated skin. With just three products—a calming serum, desensitizing cream, and instant color corrector—you can reduce redness both immediately and over time. Ingredients like holly leaf, sugarcane extract, and turmeric do the trick, soothing skin, reducing sensitivity, and adding hydration.

6. Every Man Jack Skin Revive Bundle

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Every Man Jack has you covered with this Revive Bundle, designed for tired and dry skin. It provides a pick-me-up thanks to products like a hydrating face wash, gentle face scrub, invigorating coffee-infused lotion, SPF moisturizer, and an eye cream to wake up the skin around your eyes. All of the products in this bundle are fragrance-free, so suitable for men with sensitive skin.

7. Huron SPF Face Kit

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Huron’s SPF Face Kit would make a great gift for a guy about to head on a beach vacation or start a new job that involves hours under the sun. That’s because it’s built of products that protect skin from sun damage, keeping it youthful and healthy in the face of harmful UV rays. With this purchase you get two face washes, a moisturizer, SPF moisturizer, and eye stick.

8. Brickell Men’s Daily Advanced Face Care Routine

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Those with normal to oily skin will find this one of the best skincare sets for men. It contains a clarifying gel face wash that is loaded up with aloe vera, coconut cleansers, and geranium for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power. The accompanying scrub uses jojoba, green tea, and avocado butter to get the job done, and the moisturizer wakes skin up with a combination of green tea, white tea, and rooibos, which provides the additional benefit of wrinkle reduction!

9. Jack Henry Face Kit

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Jack Henry’s Face Kit has it all, and by “it all” we mean a cleanser, toner, nighttime moisturizer, face oil, and face cream. These products are high end but have simple ingredient lists. For example, the cleanser consists of just seven ingredients, including moisturizing coconut oil, calming aloe vera, and mineral-rich sea kelp.

The PM moisturizer delivers tea tree, avocado oil, and coconut oil to skin overnight, helping it regenerate so you can wake up with a fresher complexion. The face oil delivers serious antioxidants and nutrients to skin with superfood oils like açaí and baobab. Then the face cream instantly transforms skin’s texture, soaking skin in moisture thanks to moringa oil, using tamanu and maize to encourage collagen production (keeping skin taut and plump for longer), nourishing with vanilla oil, and improving elasticity with prickly pear.

10. Hunter Daily Ritual Kit

There’s something to be said for making your skincare a ritual rather than a chore, which is just what Hunter has done with this kit. It contains a body wash, cleansing stick, and moisturizer, all laden with natural goodness that will make you feel special.

The multi-purpose body wash (it also works like hand soap in a pinch) contains bladderwrack to flush away toxins, wakame to reduce pollutants and defy aging, hydrolyzed wheat protein for its superior moisturizing capability, and violet leaf for its cooling and calming properties. For your face, there’s the Charcoal Cleansing Stick, a cleanser that comes in stick form (just rub it on your face and add water) that contains detoxifying magic. The Daily Face Fuel, step two on your face, contains avocado, macadamia, and passionfruit oils for plenty of nurturing fatty acids.

11. Bevel Skin Essentials Bundle

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Bevel is a brand designed specifically for men of color, and all the brand’s best-selling face products make an appearance in this bundle. Like the face wash that has come to rescue you from dull skin with coconut fruit juice, witch hazel, and stimulating wu zhu yu extract. To make the most of this kit, apply the toner next.

Toner is there to restore balance to your skin’s pH levels and improve your skin’s tone, and this one happens to exfoliate, too. It’s designed to be used pre-shave, using a high concentration of glycolic acid to get rid of dead skin and cut back on ingrown hairs. Then it uses aloe vera to soothe and vitamin B3 to shrink pores. The moisturizing face gel is step three, using vitamin C for free radical protection, apple extract to keep skin youthful, and honey to prevent breakouts.

12. Horace The Complete Face Kit

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Horace is trying to make it easy with this kit, and they’ll mveet you half way! Once you add the cleanser, moisturizer, face scrub, eye cream, and mask to your collection, the rest is up to you. Use the brand’s cleanser morning and night, purifying pores and balancing sebum production with ingredients like activated charcoal, aloe vera, and irritation-fighting allantoin.

A couple times a week, use the face scrub instead of the cleanser, exfoliating with argan seeds and adding murumuru butter and vitamin E to the mix. When your pores are clear and your skin is ready to absorb, hit it with the brand’s Mattifying Face Moisturizer, which seals in moisture thanks to shea butter, jojoba esters, and plum seed oil.

One time each week, reserve fifteen minutes in your calendar for Horace’s face mask. You’ll apply the formula to your skin and let it sit there for a bit, letting your face absorb the antioxidant benefits of blue everlasting flower, the moisture from shea butter and sunflower oil, and the complex of active ingredients designed to give you a healthy glow. When your eyes look tired, bring out the kit’s eye cream, done up with hyaluronic acid and caffeine to tighten and plump when you need it.

13. The INKEY Intro Routine

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Great for men who are new to skincare and those new to INKEY alike, the Intro Routine is definitely one of the best skincare sets for men of the year. Step one is the brand’s oat cleansing balm, a cleanser that melts into skin with deeply cleansing oat kernel oil, soothing colloidal oatmeal, and moisturizing sweet almond oil.

Follow that up with the brand’s hyaluronic serum, providing moisture and plumping in spades thanks to a high concentration of the ingredient, plus extra emollients to boot. Use the eye cream to wake up tired eyes with caffeine for increased circulation, a special ingredient to speed up collagen production, and albizia julibrissin bark extract for cellular regeneration. The Omega Water Cream hydrates without clogging pores, and the sunscreen keeps skin free from UV damage.

14. Tiége Hanley Men’s Premium Skin Care Gift Set

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We love how this best skincare set for men includes a body wash bar—the skin all over your body is just as important as that on your face! This particular body wash takes bar soap to a whole new level with the addition of ingredients like jojoba oil, aloe vera, and vitamin E for healthy, moisturized skin.

The brand’s face wash is an excellent product for daily use, which uses coconut oil, cucumber extract, and willow bark to balance the skin’s pH level, soften, and quench skin’s thirst. The AM moisturizer comes recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation thanks to the inclusion of SPF 20. It also reinforces your skin’s natural barrier and prevents signs of aging with glycerin, rosemary, and lavender. Since it’s also important to protect your lips from sun damage and keep them silky smooth, this kit contains a lip balm as well. It provides lips with plenty of sun protection, plus keeps them soft with almond oil, jojoba, and tangerine oil.

15. Ilapothecary #DigitalDetox Pouch

It’s almost impossible to avoid screen time these days and your skin pays the price. That’s because blue light has been shown to block the function of melanocytes, leading to discoloration. It also can shrink skin cells and cause premature skin aging. If you or a guy you know spends a lot of time in front of a computer, consider this Digital Detox kit from Ilapothecary.

It contains a facial mist that offers your skin a quick reprieve from the harmful effects of blue light. Just one spray of rose flower water, vitamin B12, and other ingredients provides antioxidant protection and encourages natural healing. Try the day cream that protects with cocoa and shea butter, apricot kernel oil, and other natural ingredients for an even greater blue light shield. 

Christian Schauf: Harnessing the Power of Mindset in Survival and Preparedness

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From facing dire situations in some of the world’s most dangerous terrains to understanding the nuances of survival and preparedness, Christian Schauf has lived a life steeped in adventure and challenge. His firsthand experiences with emergencies have not only shaped his perspective but also ignited a passion to make a difference. Recognizing the paramount importance of being equipped both mentally and physically, Schauf founded the Uncharted Supply Company in November 2016.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Christian on the Everyday Warrior Podcast to discuss his mission – To provide individuals with revolutionary products and the knowledge they need to tackle emergencies confidently, ensuring that they’re not just prepared but empowered.

The Importance of Mindset in Survival and Preparedness

Christian Schauf firmly believes that when it comes to surviving in emergencies, having the right mindset is paramount. The mind, after all, is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal. Through his experiences and expertise, Schauf understands that panic and fear can severely hinder a person’s ability to think clearly and take necessary action. By instilling a mindset centered around calmness, resilience, and problem-solving, individuals are better equipped to make critical decisions. The power of staying composed cannot be overstated; when every second counts, it can make the difference between life and death. Schauf emphasizes that mental preparation is just as crucial as physical preparedness and encourages everyone to regularly challenge and fortify their mindset.

Uncharted Supply Company’s Revolutionary Products

Uncharted Supply Company stands out in the emergency preparedness space, offering a range of revolutionary products designed to meet the varying needs of individuals. Schauf’s product line, from the one-person to the four-person kits, is meticulously designed based on data and insights. These kits tackle 60% of emergencies, providing broad-spectrum utility. Each kit is crafted with the end user in mind; clear instructions paired with color-coordinated pouches ensure even the most novice user can utilize its contents effectively. Beyond the fundamental survival tools, Schauf ensures that the products are durable, innovative, and incorporate the latest technology. This forward-thinking approach has propelled Uncharted Supply Company to be a leader in its field.

Promoting Instruction, Organization, and High-Quality Products

Schauf recognizes that amid an emergency, there’s no time for guesswork. A cornerstone of Uncharted Supply Company’s approach lies in its dedication to providing easy-to-follow instruction, intuitive organization, and high-quality products. Schauf understands that most people, even if they have the best tools at their disposal, are not regularly trained for emergencies. It’s this realization that shaped the company’s commitment to instruction. Clear, actionable steps accompany each product, turning potentially chaotic situations into organized action plans. The strategic organization of their kits, with color-coordinated pouches, further enhances the user experience by reducing time wasted searching for essential items. Beyond just functionality, Schauf insists on only using the highest quality materials, ensuring longevity and reliability when it matters most.

Making a Positive Impact on People’s Lives

For Schauf, it’s not just about selling products – it’s about making a positive impact on people’s lives. Uncharted Supply Company’s high-quality products have been instrumental in saving lives, and positive reviews and feedback from customers validate their value. Schauf’s passion lies in getting these life-saving tools into more hands, to create a community that is knowledgeable, prepared, and ready to help others in times of need.

Christian Schauf’s Uncharted Supply Company is revolutionizing the emergency preparedness industry with its unwavering focus on mindset, instruction, organization, and high-quality products. By empowering individuals to think clearly and respond effectively in chaotic situations, Schauf is making a monumental contribution to the safety and well-being of people worldwide.