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

Today’s Wordle puzzle isn’t that tough. I like the ones with common letters, especially vowels. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has two vowels.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with L.

Wordle hint No. 4: Rhyme time

Today’s Wordle answer rhymes with a vital ingredient in bread.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to the smallest amount of something.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is LEAST.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, Aug. 31, No. 1,534, was PETAL.

Recent Wordle answers

• Aug. 27, No. 1,530: TOWER
• Aug. 28, No. 1,531: SPLIT
• Aug. 29, No. 1,532: GRAFT
• Aug. 30, No. 1,533: ELATE

What’s the best Wordle starting word?

Don’t be afraid to use our tip sheet ranking all the letters in the alphabet by frequency of uses. In short, you want starter words that lean heavy on E, A and R, and don’t contain Z, J and Q. 

Some solid starter words to try:

ADIEU

TRAIN

CLOSE

STARE

NOISE

Crossing a border is stressful enough — and now your phone adds another layer. According to new figures from US Customs and Border Protection, nearly 15,000 device searches were carried out between April and June — over 1,000 of them using advanced tools that copy or analyze a phone’s contents. The rising numbers raise questions about how much personal data travelers may be handing over without realizing it.

One way people are protecting their privacy is by traveling with a no-frills device. A basic or burner phone can keep you connected for calls and texts while limiting the amount of personal information stored on it. It’s not just about crossing borders either — having a stripped-down device can help cut screen time, reduce distractions and give you a mental break from constant notifications.

Even celebrities have embraced the switch. Conan O’Brien has said that carrying a simpler phone helps him stay focused, proving that sometimes less really is more. If your smartphone feels like it holds too much of your life, scaling back — whether for travel or everyday use — might be worth considering.

Read more: Best Prepaid Phone of 2025

Although carriers have offered prepaid phones since the ’90s, «burner phones» or «burners» became more popular in the 2000s following the celebrated HBO series The Wire, where they helped characters avoid getting caught by the police. Though often portrayed in that light, burners aren’t only used by criminals, but really by anyone concerned with surveillance or privacy infringement.

What is a burner phone, and how does it work? Here’s everything you need to know about burners and how to get one.

Don’t miss any of CNET’s unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

What is a burner phone?

A burner phone is a cheap prepaid phone with no commitments. It comes with a set number of prepaid call minutes, text messages or data, and it’s designed to be disposed of after use.

Burners are contract-free, and you can grab them off the counter. They’re called burner phones because you can «burn» them (trash them after use), and the phone can’t be traced back to you, which makes them appealing to criminals. Burner phones are typically used when you need a phone quickly, without intentions of long-term usage. 

Burners are different from getting a regular, contract-bound cellphone plans that require your information to be on file.

Why should you use a burner phone?

Burner phones are an easy way to avoid cellphone contracts or spam that you get on your primary phone number. Burners aren’t linked to your identity, so you can avoid being tracked down or contacted.

You don’t have to dispose of a burner phone after use. You can add more minutes and continue using it. Burner phones can still function as regular phones, minus the hassle of a contract.

You can also get a burner phone as a secondary phone for a specific purpose, like having a spare phone number for two-factor authentication texts, for business or to avoid roaming charges while traveling. Burner phones are often used by anyone concerned with privacy.

Read more: The Data Privacy Tips Digital Security Experts Wish You Knew

Burner phones, prepaid phones, smartphones and burner SIMs: What’s the difference? 

Burner phones are cheap phones with simple designs that lack the bells and whistles of a smartphone. Because they’re designed to be disposable, you only get the essentials, as seen by the most common version, the flip phone.

All burner phones are prepaid phones, but not all prepaid phones are burners. What sets a burner apart is that you won’t have to give away any personal information to get one, and it won’t be traceable back to you. Again, a burner phone is cheap enough to be destroyed after use.

Prepaid smartphones are generally low-end models. You can use any unlocked smartphone with prepaid SIM cards, essentially making it a prepaid phone.

If you want a burner, you don’t necessarily have to buy a new phone. You can get a burner SIM and use it with an existing phone. Burner SIMs are prepaid SIMs you can get without a contract or giving away personal information.

Where can you buy a burner phone?

Burner phones are available at all major retail outlets, including Best Buy, Target and Walmart. They’re also often available at convenience stores like 7-Eleven, local supermarkets, gas stations and retail phone outlets like Cricket and Metro.

You can get a burner phone with cash, and it should cost between $10 and $50, though it may cost more if you get more minutes and data. If you’re getting a burner phone specifically to avoid having the phone traced back to you, it makes sense to pay with cash instead of a credit card.

If you just want a prepaid secondary phone, you can use a credit card. Just keep in mind that credit cards leave a trail that leads back to you.

There are also many apps that let you get secondary phone numbers, including Google Fi and the Burner app. However, these aren’t burners necessarily because the providers typically have at least some of your personal information.

If you’re just looking to get a solid prepaid phone without anonymity, check out our full guide for the best prepaid phone plans available. We also have a guide for the best cheap phone plans.

Whether you want to exercise or have more options for listening in on work meetings, a new pair of earbud can be quite the upgrade. This Labor Day is offering up the opportunity to grab an upgrade, gift or backup pair of earbuds, now is the time to act.

Look (and listen) no further than a wide array of SoundPeats wireless earbuds, which Amazon is selling at well below their normal list price. The Free2, clear, PearlClip and noise-canceling models are all represented in these holiday offerings. Shopping now also offers an opportunity to secure new tech before tariffs start affecting prices.

The biggest markdown is with the Air5 Pro noise-canceling wireless earbuds at $57, a 30% cut from the regular price. To grab the full discount, make sure to use the coupon code AIR5PROLD. These earbuds can block up to 43 decibels of sound, include Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity and a total battery life of 37 hours.

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

There are plenty of other major markdowns on SoundPeats for Labor Day, including:

• Free2 Classic In-Ear: $30 (save $10)
• PearlClip Pro Ear Ultra Open Ear (black): $38 (save $20, use code SPCCPPRMD for full discount)
• PearlClip Pro Ear Ultra Open Ear (white): $50 (save $10 with Prime)

If you are interested in even more audio device deals for Labor Day, check out CNET’s comprehensive breakdown here.

Why this deal matters

Whether it’s for exercise, listening to your favorite tunes, calling friends or just tuning out the world, it’s always great to have a well-designed audio device that conforms to your ears and leaves your hands free to do other things. And at these kinds of Labor Day prices, it’s a great time to jump on these savings. The offer is running through at least Sept. 1, and some last until Sept. 3, depending on the SoundPeats device, so don’t wait too long.