Technologies

VPN trackers: Everything you need to know

Not all VPNs actually care about your privacy. Choose one that doesn’t track you.

Public concern over web tracking is higher than ever. That concern has been mounting for well over a decade, but we’re no better off now than we were then — pervasive tracking and unbridled data collection is still the lay of the land all these years later. Websites and apps deploy trackers that follow us all over the web and share the information they collect with third parties. Our ISPs collect hordes of data every time we go online, then sell it off to the highest bidder.

As a result, consumers are increasingly turning to virtual private networks to help them evade these tracking practices. But what can you do when it’s the VPNs themselves that are doing the tracking? As with any app or online service, it’s important to do your research and make sure you choose a provider that actually takes your privacy seriously. Just because a VPN company boldly states that it cares about your privacy doesn’t mean it’s true.

VPNs are supposed to protect your privacy online and help you fight back against the machine hell-bent on exploiting your data for its own gain. And gaining privacy from tracking is one of the main reasons you should seek the help of a VPN. But it can be difficult to sort through the various ways VPNs might track you. Here’s what to know about the different trackers VPNs use, and how they separate the best VPNs from the ones you should avoid.

First-party trackers vs. third-party trackers

Not all trackers are the same. For example, there’s a crucial difference between first-party and third-party trackers. There’s a similarly vital distinction between trackers used on a VPN’s website versus the ones inside a VPN’s app. In both cases, the second option will have much greater implications on your privacy than the former.

First-party trackers, also known as cookies, are used and stored by the websites you visit. They’re used for things like remembering your preferences, geographic region, language settings and what you put in your shopping cart. They’re also used by website administrators to collect data as you visit their sites, helping them better understand your behavior and figure out what will keep you on their site longer and buying more of their products and services.

Basically, first-party trackers are there to provide you with a smoother experience as you visit the websites you frequent. It would be annoying to have to set all your preferences each and every time you visit a site and to have to re-add each individual item to your shopping cart every time you click away from your cart.

A VPN company may use first-party trackers on its website to save your settings, display account-specific information after you log in and see what marketing channel brought you to its site.

Third-party trackers are different in that they are created by entities other than the site you’re visiting. After a site puts these trackers on your computer via your browser, they follow you across the websites you visit. They are injected into a website using a tag or a script and are accessible on any site that loads the third-party’s tracking code. But the big difference is that they’re used to track your online behavior and make money from you, rather than improve your online experience.

In simpler terms, third-party trackers exist to help companies bombard you with targeted advertisements based on your online browsing activity. Targeted advertising is big business, and there are mountains of cash to be made at the expense of your digital privacy.

That said, Apple and Google have begun shifting their policies regarding the use of third-party trackers in their respective mobile app marketplaces and have provided users more transparency and a much greater element of control when it comes to restricting how apps are able to track them. Google even proposed a solution to eliminating the use of third-party trackers altogether. That proposal, however, turned out to be a failure after people began pointing out the ways in which Google’s proposed alternative would make it even easier for the company to track and identify you for targeted advertising. Google was forced back to the drawing board and ended up shelving the idea for at least two years. Still, the industry is slowly showing signs of progress.

If a VPN company is using third-party trackers on its website for marketing purposes or to enhance your experience on the site itself, the tracking is easy to block in most cases. But when a VPN tracks you on its app, the alarm bells should start going off. In-app trackers should make you seriously concerned about what that VPN is really up to (Spoiler: It’s to make money from sharing your data) and should ultimately steer you away from that VPN altogether.

Why would VPN companies need to track you through their apps?

Simple answer: They don’t. Their apps would function just as well for you whether they tracked you or not.

But many VPN companies will employ trackers in their apps regardless of how much they say they care about your privacy. Those VPNs put users’ privacy at risk so they can make as much money as possible. And what some of these VPN apps track and share with third parties is actually quite alarming. This is the biggest reason we advise you to avoid using free VPNs.

What data is being collected by these trackers and who is it shared with?

The scope of data collection will vary greatly from one VPN to another, and will differ in terms of whether the trackers are being deployed on the VPN’s website or within the app itself. But let’s focus on trackers embedded within VPN apps themselves.

There are VPN apps out there that will track and share things like your user ID, device or advertising ID, usage data and even your location. They track this information just to sell it on to third parties for targeted advertising purposes, making money at the expense of your digital privacy. Any VPN engaging in such activity should be avoided at all costs.

When we say your data is being shared with third-party entities, we mean entities like data brokers and advertisers that put profits ahead of ethics. That information is also being shared with sites like Google and Facebook, meaning that even if you don’t have a Facebook account and you’re doing your best to stay away from big tech data hogs, your data is still being shared with them.

Unfortunately, far too many VPN apps will track and share your data with all kinds of third parties. That’s why it’s crucial to scrutinize the data sharing practices of any VPN you’re considering. (We do this as part of our review process and thoroughly vet a VPN’s data policies before we recommend it to anyone.)

The concern is real

VPNs are often quick to claim that the data they’re tracking and sharing with third parties is anonymized and not identifiable or tied to your personal information. That sounds great, but something like a device ID can still be used to identify you personally when other data points tied to your online behavior and interactions with the app are matched to that ID. It doesn’t actually take that much to connect the dots and identify you online.

Researchers have shown that 99.98% of users could be re-identified in any anonymized dataset using only 15 data points. The more data points an app is collecting about you, the easier it is for others to identify you online, even if the data being collected isn’t necessarily personally identifiable information.

Find out what data they’re collecting and tracking

Luckily, it’s becoming easier and easier to see what VPN companies are collecting and tracking when you use their apps. For one, reputable VPNs are getting increasingly transparent about what data they collect and what kinds of trackers they may or may not be implementing on their sites and apps. VPNs know that their reputations rely on actually walking the walk when it comes to protecting user privacy. So transparency is key.

On top of that, since Apple introduced its App Tracking Transparency functionality in its App Store, you now have a much clearer picture of any application’s tracking practices. You can now see if any app you’re looking to download wants to track you and share your data with third parties and you can easily deny those permissions. Google introduced similar functionality with its recent Android 12 release.

In addition to scrutinizing a VPN app’s tracking practices, you’ll want to scour its privacy policy to see what kinds of trackers it uses, what data it collects and who it shares that data with. If you notice that a provider you’re looking at is sharing user data with an abundance of third parties, or if the provider isn’t up front or totally transparent about its practices, then it’s best to move along and find something else.

When you do your research, you’ll see that the best VPNs don’t resort to such unscrupulous tracking practices. Part of our review process includes vetting the data collection practices of each provider. Though the VPNs we recommend, like Surfshark, NordVPN and ExpressVPN, may collect certain types of connection data when you use their apps, they don’t deploy in-app trackers.

While these VPNs may deploy cookies on their websites, they’re transparent about exactly what those cookies are there for and how they help improve website functionality and aid in advertising their services across the web. Their third-party trackers can also be blocked via your browser settings.

Always check a VPN’s privacy policies, and their apps in the App Store and the Play Store to learn more about the trackers they deploy on their websites and apps. The important thing to keep in mind here is that the apps of our recommended VPNs will not track you like the apps of some other less-than-trustworthy VPNs.

How to fight back against tracking

If you don’t want your VPN app to track you, you’ll want to take a few precautions.

With Apple’s App Tracking Transparency in place, iOS apps have to get your explicit permission before they are able to track you. If you deny that permission, the app developer won’t have access to your device’s advertising ID and won’t be able to track you or share that ID with third parties.

You can even deny any and all apps on your iOS device from even asking you if they can track you in the first place. All you’d need to do is head over to your settings menu and disable tracking. Similarly, if you’re an Android user, you can manage your app permissions to limit tracking on an app-by-app basis by navigating to your Privacy Dashboard.

Keep in mind that even if you deny an app access to your advertising ID, that doesn’t necessarily prevent it from sharing other data with third parties. A new bit of investigative research from Top10VPN showed that 85% of the top free VPNs in Apple’s US App Store will still share your data with third-party advertisers even after you’ve explicitly denied their requests to track you. Even if they don’t have access to your advertising ID — according to Top10VPN’s research — these free VPN apps still track and share information like your IP address, device name, language, device model and iOS version with advertisers without your consent. This is all information that can be used to identify you, and the research is a pointed reminder of why we recommend staying away from free VPNs.

If you’re concerned about VPN companies using trackers on their websites and sharing data with third parties, then you can use a privacy-focused browser like Brave or Firefox, or use a tool like the Duck Duck Go’s browser extension to your current browser. Options like these will help you to easily prevent websites from tracking you as you browse the web. If you’re not willing to part ways with your existing browser or install an extension, there are various settings you should change to protect your privacy and limit tracking.

Next steps

Websites and apps will routinely do whatever they can to track your activity across the internet to churn as much money out of the targeted ad machine as possible. But the tide is finally turning as people have begun to realize exactly how invasive the practice is and how detrimental it can be to our digital privacy.

More and more options are available to defend against tracking practices, and VPN companies are becoming increasingly transparent with consumers with regards to how they approach the subject and many are ditching tracking altogether. Unfortunately, many VPN companies still continue the practice and are sharing all kinds of tracking data with third parties. If you’re an iOS user, just take a look through the VPNs available in the App Store and take a peek at their «nutrition label» and you’ll see what we mean.

If you already have a VPN app installed on your device, check to see if it’s tracking you and sharing your data with third parties. If it is, it’s time to wipe it from your device for good and never look back, because it’s compromising your privacy rather than protecting it — which is the opposite of what a VPN should be doing.

Technologies

Pixel Watch 4 Features vs. Apple Watch Series 10: Google Came to Play!

Google’s latest watch takes a direct hit at Apple with a new AI health coach and advanced emergency connectivity. Find out how they stack up.

Google’s Pixel Watch 4 is the newest player on the smartwatch field and it’s not holding back. With a sleek design, AI-powered health coach, first-of-its-kind emergency satellite connectivity and improved battery life, it’s a major leap forward for a relative newcomer that’s been edging its way up the ranks to compete with the heavy hitters of the wearable world.

The Apple Watch Series 10, meanwhile, remains a benchmark in the category. While technically at a disadvantage being last year’s model, it holds its own with more than a decade of refinements and deep integration with the iPhone and Apple’s extensive health and fitness ecosystem.

As smartwatches make the leap from wearable phone extensions to essential health and safety tools, these two flagships are redefining the category — especially with both companies controlling the full hardware and software experience on their respective platforms. And with Apple expected to debut its Series 11 in September, this face-off feels like just the opening move in what’s shaping up to be a high-stakes game of chess between two of the biggest names in tech. Here’s how the specs stack up on paper; we’ll conduct our full suite of tests for the full Pixel Watch 4 review.

Pricing and availability

Being an older model, the Apple Watch Series 10 can be found for a discounted rate through third party sellers like Best Buy and Walmart, but the original price of $399 is technically higher than the base price of the $350 Pixel Watch 4. However, the larger-size versions have less of a price gap with the 45mm Wi-Fi version of the Series 10 costing $429 and the Pixel Watch 4 equivalent costing $400. And the Apple Watch is the only one that offers a higher-end titanium model that costs about $200 more than the base aluminum. Both watches are rated for 5ATM water resistance and have IP6X dust protection.

Design and display

Both watches remain true to their original form factor and this category is more a matter of preference. The Pixel Watch 4 sticks with its signature circular design that looks closer to a traditional analog watch than the Apple Watch, with a bubble-like screen that curves outward for a sleek, all-display look. It comes in 41mm and 45mm sizes with silver, dark gray and gold aluminum finishes, plus interchangeable bands.

Apple, by contrast, hasn’t strayed from its signature rectangular shape since its launch. It’s more «tech» looking than the Pixel Watch, but it’s also slightly more practical for navigating apps and notifications. The Series 10 also has minimal bezels with a screen that expands into the thin frame and comes in a 42mm and 46mm version. The Apple Watch has a slightly higher pixel density for better image quality but the Pixel 4 is brighter with up to 3,000 nits peak brightness compared to the Apple Watch’s 2,000 nits.

Performance, software and AI

Under the hood, both watches run the latest versions of their respective software: WatchOS 10 for Apple and Wear OS 6 for the Pixel. Apple offers the usual tight integration with the iPhone, while Google leans on its Fitbit acquisition for health tracking and now its AI expertise with the built-in Gemini assistant.

And this is where the Apple Watch starts to lose its footing. Google’s Gemini voice assistant handles back-to-back commands, summarizes information from your apps and responds conversationally without shuttling you out to a web link — something Siri still struggles to match. Apple’s assistant remains more limited, often requiring repeat commands and leaning on your iPhone for anything beyond the basics. Even a cautious AI user like myself can’t help notice how Gemini’s added capabilities feel genuinely useful on the wrist, cutting down on screen taps and making it easier to get more done on the go.

Health and fitness features

This is another area where Google’s AI could give the Pixel Watch 4 an extra edge. Both watches set the standard in health and fitness features — Apple because of its longstanding commitment to health and fitness, and Pixel through its integration with Fitbit. Their metrics are accurate and easy to make sense of in their respective apps. But the Pixel 4 just stepped it up with a concierge style AI health coach (coming in October) that can help you interpret your health data and give personalized recommendations: everything from whether to rest or exercise on any given day, to how to improve sleep quality. Apple’s Workout Buddy, coming in watchOS 26, offers live feedback on a handful of workouts but isn’t as far along in pulling together a complete picture of your health data (at least not yet). The caveat, however, is that Google’s coach will require a Fitbit Premium subscription ($10/month after a trial), while Apple’s AI fitness tool is free.

Emergency features

Beyond health tracking, both watches add an extra layer of protection with a range of emergency tools, including fall and crash detection, workout check-ins and Emergency SOS. The Apple Watch leans more on proactive health alerts, like warnings for irregular heart rhythm and potential sleep apnea.

But the Pixel Watch 4 just boosted its emergency features by adding satellite connectivity. This means you can send a message for help even without a phone or cell service. The Apple Watch, by comparison, still relies on the iPhone or needs network coverage for models that are cellular-enabled to make an emergency call.

Battery and charging

On paper the Series 10 promises 18 hours of heavy use, though in our testing it’s consistently gotten closer to 26 to 30 hours with the always-on display active. Google claims 30 to 40 hours on the Pixel Watch 4 depending on size, giving it a slight edge, but it’s hard to pass judgment without our real world tests.

Charging speed is another strong point for both watches with quick charge capabilities, although the Pixel Watch 4 is still faster when you need a quick top-up. It reaches 50% in just 15 minutes and a full charge in an hour. The Series 10 also takes an hour to reach a full charge, but hits 80% in 40 minutes.

Google has also made the Pixel Watch 4’s battery and display easier to replace for repairs, a big step forward for long-term usability, while Apple hasn’t emphasized the same level of repairability on the Series 10.

Bottom line

If you’re all-in on Apple, the Series 10 still delivers everything you need in a smartwatch. But for Android users (or anyone curious about AI on the wrist) the Pixel Watch 4 shows Google is serious about challenging Apple’s dominance.

Pixel Watch 4 vs. Apple Watch Series 10: Specs at a glance

	Pixel Watch 4	Apple Watch Series 10
Design & sizes	Round, 41mm & 45mm	Square, 42mm, 46mm
Display	AMOLED LTPO, 320 ppi	LTPO3 OLED, 446 x 374 ppi
Thickness & weight	12.3mm; 31–36.7g	9.7mm; 30-41.7g (46mm titanium model)
Material & finish	Aluminum case: Silver, Champagne gold, Satin Moonstone or Matte black finish	Aluminum: Jet black, Rose gold or Silver finish; Titanium: Slate, Gold or Natural finish
Durability	5ATM water + IP68 (dust)	5ATM Water + IP6X (dust)
Battery life	30–40 hrs (always-on) + quick charge dock: 50% in 15min, 100% in 60 min	24-30 (always-on) + Fast charge: 80% in 30 min, 100% in 60 min
Sensors	ECG, SpO₂, heart rate, skin temp, loss of pulse detection	ECG, heart rate, skin temp, depth gauge, SpO2, Noise monitoring
Emergency features	Satellite SOS, Safety Check, Safety Signal, fall & crash detection	Emergency SOS, Fall detection, Crash detection, Check in and Backtrack
AI & coaching	Gemini voice assistant; Fitbit AI health coach (via Premium)	Siri (voice assistant); Workout Buddy
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2, Cortex-M55 co-processor	S10 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor, W3 Apple wireless chip
RAM/Storage	2GB, 32GB (storage)	64GB (storage)
Payments	Google Wallet	Apple Pay
Price (US)	$350–$500	$399-$750 (titanium)

Technologies

Say Goodbye to Awful Cell Signal With These 10 Simple Fixes

These quick tricks can help you get better reception almost instantly.

Summer road trips are all about open roads, good company, and spontaneous detours. That is, until your phone loses service and the whole plan comes to a screeching halt. Whether it’s your GPS freezing mid-route, your music app buffering endlessly, or being unable to call for roadside help, poor cell reception can turn a carefree adventure into a frustrating mess. These dead zones tend to show up in the worst spots: backroads, mountain passes, or just that one stretch of highway where nothing seems to work.

Fortunately, you don’t need a new phone or a major tech upgrade to fix spotty service. There are several simple tricks you can try to get better signal on the go. From changing your network settings to repositioning your phone in the car for better line-of-sight, these small adjustments can make a noticeable difference. Whether you’re driving across state lines or just heading out for the weekend, these tips can help you stay connected and keep your trip running smoothly.

Whether you’re doing some routine phone maintenance or you’re stuck in an emergency, there are multiple ways to improve your reception on an iPhone or Android phone, no matter what type of phone plan you’re on. It might even come down to something as simple as toggling Airplane mode.

To go from dropped calls to full bars, here’s what you need to know. For more on iPhone and iOS, check out everything Apple announced at WWDC 2025.

Note: Although software across different iPhone models is relatively the same, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and other Android phones may have different software versions, so certain settings and where they are located might differ depending on device.

For more, check out how you can use Google Maps when you’re offline and how you can maybe fix your internet when it’s down.

To improve your cellphone service, try these steps first

The settings on your phone can help you get better cell service, but there are other tricks for improving your reception without even touching your phone’s software.

Move yourself so that there are no obstructions between your phone and any cell towers outside. That might involve stepping away from metal objects or concrete walls, which both kill reception. Instead, get to a window or go outside if possible.
Remove your phone case. It doesn’t hurt to remove whatever case you have on your phone, especially if it’s thick, so that the phone’s antenna isn’t blocked by anything and can get a better signal.
Make sure your phone is charged. Searching for and connecting to a stronger signal drains power, so if your phone battery is already low on charge, you may have a difficult time getting good service.

Always start by turning Airplane mode on and off

Turning your phone’s connection off and then back on is the quickest and easiest way to try and fix your signal woes. If you’re moving around from one location to another, toggling Airplane mode restarts the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular network modems, which forces them to find the best signal in the area.

Android: Swipe down from the top of your screen — to access the Quick Settings panel — and then tap the Airplane mode icon. Wait for your phone to completely disconnect from its Wi-Fi and cellular connections. It doesn’t happen instantly, so give it a good 15 seconds before you tap on the Airplane mode icon again.

iPhone: On the iPhone, you can access Airplane mode from the Control Center, but that varies depending on which iPhone model you have. On the iPhone X and later, swipe down from the top-right corner to access the Control Center. On older iPhone models, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Then tap the Airplane mode icon, which will turn orange when it’s enabled. Again, wait up to 15 seconds before turning it off.

If Airplane mode doesn’t work, restart your phone

Our phones are miniature computers, and just like computers, sometimes you can fix issues like network connection by simply restarting them.

Android: Hold down the power button, or the power button and the volume down key (depending on your Android phone), until the on-screen menu shows up, and then tap Restart. If your phone doesn’t offer a restart option, you can simply tap Power Off to shut down your device, and then boot it back up with the power button.

iPhone: On the iPhone X and older models, hold down the sleep/wake button and either one of the volume buttons and then swipe right on the power slider to turn off the device. Wait until it fully turns off, then press down on the sleep/wake button to turn it back on.

Alternatively, you can do a force reset on your iPhone: Press the volume up button, followed by the volume down button and then press and hold the side button. Keep holding it in, after your phone’s screen goes black and until you see the Apple logo appear again.

If your iPhone has a home button, hold down the sleep/wake button until the power slider is displayed and then drag the slider to the right. Once the device is turned off, press and hold the sleep/wake button until you see the Apple logo.

Older phone? Take your SIM card out

Another troubleshooting step that might help is to remove your SIM card, if your phone has one, and then place it back in with the phone turned on. If the SIM card is dirty, clean it. If it has any physical defects, you may need to replace it.

You’ll need a SIM card tool — usually included in your phone’s box — or an unfolded paper clip or sewing needle to get the SIM tray out of your phone.

All phones: Remove the SIM card, check to see if it’s damaged and positioned in the SIM tray correctly, then put it back in your phone.

eSIM: For phones with an eSIM — that is, an embedded electronic SIM in your phone — there’s nothing for you to remove. The best you can do is restart your phone.

Check your carrier settings (and update your software)

Mobile carriers frequently send out carrier settings updates to help improve connectivity for calls, data and messages on their network. Although this feature is available on all iPhone models, it’s not universal on Android, so you might not find carrier settings if you don’t have a supported phone.

iPhone: Carrier updates should just appear, and you can update from the pop-up message that appears. To force your iPhone to check for a carrier settings update, go to Settings > General > About on your phone. If an update is available, you’ll be prompted to install it.

Android: As mentioned before, not all Android phones have carrier settings, so you’ll have to open the Settings app and type in «carrier settings» to find any possible updates. On supported Pixels, go to Settings > Network & internet > Internet, tap the gear next to your carrier name and then tap Carrier settings versions.

Reset your phone’s network settings

Sometimes all you need is a clean slate to fix an annoying connectivity issue. Refreshing your phone’s network settings is one way to do that. But be forewarned, resetting your network settings will also reset any saved Wi-Fi passwords, VPN connections and custom APN settings for those on carriers that require additional setup.

Android: In the Settings app, search for «reset» or more specifically «reset network settings» and tap on the setting. On the Pixel, the setting is called Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth. After you reset your network settings, remember to reconnect your phone to your home and work Wi-Fi networks.

iPhone: Go to Settings > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network settings. The next page will warn you that resetting your network settings will reset your settings for Wi-Fi, mobile data and Bluetooth. Tap Reset Network Settings and your phone will restart.

Contact your phone carrier

Sometimes unexpected signal issues can be traced back to problems with your wireless carrier. A cell tower could be down, or the tower’s fiber optic cable could have been cut, causing an outage.

For consistent problems connecting to or staying connected to a cellular or data network, it’s possible your carrier’s coverage doesn’t extend well into your neighborhood.

Other times, a newfound signal issue can be due to a defect with your phone or a SIM card that’s gone bad. Contacting your carrier to begin troubleshooting after you’ve tried these fixes is the next best step to resolving your spotty signal.

If all else fails, try a signal booster to improve cell reception

If after going through all of our troubleshooting steps, including talking to your carrier to go over your options, you’re still struggling to keep a good signal — try a booster. A signal booster receives the same cellular signal your carrier uses, then amplifies it just enough to provide coverage in a room or your entire house.

The big downside here is the cost. Wilson has three different boosters designed for home use, ranging in price from $349 for single room coverage to $999 to cover your entire home. To be clear, we haven’t specifically tested these models. Wilson offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a two-year warranty should you have any trouble with its products.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Aug. 24 #539

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Aug. 24, No. 539.

Looking for the most recent Strands answers? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a tough one. Long words, short words, they’re all over the map. If you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Plug your ears.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Check the decibel level.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

BLAST, LAST, LABS, TING, STING, BOOT, DENT, DENTS, GOON, NITS, SIRE, STIR, RISE, ROSE

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

LOUD, NOISY, BOOMING, BLASTING, STRIDENT, BOISTEROUS

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is HUBBUB. To find it, look for the H that’s five letters down on the far-right row, and wind backwards.

Toughest Strands puzzles

Here are some of the Strands topics I’ve found to be the toughest in recent weeks.

#1: Dated slang, Jan. 21. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! Jan.15. I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT.

#3: Off the hook, Jan. 9. Similar to the Jan. 15 puzzle in that it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK