Looking for the most recent Strands answer? 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 kind of a challenge. Some of the answers are difficult to unscramble, so 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: In the driver’s seat.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: You rule!

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:

• LITE, LOST, LOSE, LOSES, REST, BASE, CURE, KITE, ASSURE, BORE, LIKE, SIRE

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:

• BOLD, COOL, SECURE, ASSURED, CONFIDENT, ASSERTIVE

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is LIKEABOSS. To find it, start with the L that’s the farthest-left letter on the top row, and wind down.

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I was an Apple AirPods loyalist for years, and I thought I’d stick with them forever, but after mine suddenly bit the dust, I picked up the Beats Studio Pro headphones on a whim because I needed something I could use comfortably for hours daily. And honestly, I’ve never looked back.

While normally $350, these headphones are still available for just $170 even after Cyber Monday. That’s a massive 51% off, which is a hard deal to beat. How can you say no to that? The Black and Brown colors are down to the lowest price, while the other color options are $200 (which is still a great deal). So if you’re on the hunt for the perfect holiday gift (or you’re looking to upgrade your own listening experience), it’s a good time to get in on these. This offer isn’t likely to last for much longer since Cyber Monday is over, so make sure you’re quick.

Why my Beats never leave my side

I didn’t expect to fall in love with a pair of headphones so quickly, especially because I liked my Apple earbuds so much. I was just hoping for solid noise cancellation and good sound quality. 

The Beats delivered so much more. Today, they’re an essential part of my daily routine, practically an extension of my ears, and I get a lot of mileage out of them. Whether I’m writing, commuting, doing chores or taking my pup for a walk, the Beats Studio Pro are there with me. 

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

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Here’s how the Beats Studio Pro work

Let’s start with the specs. The Beats Studio Pro are premium over-ear headphones that bring serious upgrades to the iconic Beats design. Think of these as the grown-up, more refined cousin of the Beats Solo series. They’re still stylish and punchy, but with significantly improved sound quality and comfort. Here are some key features of the Beats Studio Pro:

• Active noise cancellation and transparency mode: Two core features that let you tune out the world or stay aware, depending on your mood. The ANC is excellent, especially for this price, and it’s great for navigating travel, open offices or city streets.
• USB-C lossless audio: A game-changer for audiophiles. With USB-C, you can listen to lossless audio directly from your device — no compression, just crystal-clear sound.
• Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking: This creates an immersive, surround-sound-like experience.
• Custom 40mm drivers: Deliver balanced sound, with punchy bass, crisp mids and smooth highs.
• Battery: Up to 40 hours with ANC off or 24 hours with it turned on. That’s more than enough to get you through several workdays or even a full international flight without scrambling for a charger.
• Built-in microphones and voice-targeting beamforming tech: Your voice will sound clear on calls, even in a noisy space.

They also pair effortlessly with both Apple and Android devices, thanks to support for Find My, Google Fast Pair and one-touch pairing.

CNET’s audio expert, David Carnoy, reviewed these earphones and found both the sound quality and voice-calling performance to be impressive.

«The noise canceling is quite effective,» Carnoy wrote in his review. «It’s the adaptive variety, so it’s not a fixed setting, and occasionally I’d hear it shift in strength as it adjusted to the ambient noise around me, whether I was on the subway or walking the streets of New York.»

Why I’m obsessed with my Beats

There are plenty of great headphones out there. So what sets these apart for me?

First and foremost, I love the comfort. I’ve worn lots of over-ear headphones that start to ache or feel heavy after an hour or so. I also have several ear piercings — five in my left ear and three in my right — and many over-ear headphones push the earring into my skin, digging in until it’s quite painful. 

Not these. The earcups are plush, the clamping force is just right, and the memory foam actually makes a difference. I can wear them for hours without fatigue, which is impressive considering I log multiple hours a day in them.

The sound quality is also great. Beats used to have a reputation for overly bass-heavy tuning, but the Studio Pro strikes a beautiful balance. There’s still that satisfying low-end thump when I’m listening to pop, hip hop or K-pop, but it doesn’t overpower the vocals or mids. Whether I’m streaming Hozier for the umpteenth hour, catching up on podcasts or listening to a new audiobook, everything sounds great.

Finally, the ANC and transparency mode are shockingly good. I’ve used my Beats in loud coffee shops, on airplanes and while vacuuming, and they efficiently block out noise like a champ. But when I need to hear what’s going on (like when I run into one of my neighbors while I’m walking my dog), a quick button press switches me into transparency mode, and I can hear them clearly. It’s seamless.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention their style. Frankly, they just look cool. I know that’s not the most important thing, but the sleek matte finish, minimalist design and range of colors make these headphones feel like a fashion accessory as much as a tech device. I have the «earth» color headphones, and they look gorgeous with any outfit. My one request (Beats execs, I’m sure you’re reading this!) would be to make these in a sage green color. Pretty please?  

They’d make a great holiday gift for any audiophile

Buying tech for someone else can be tricky, but the Beats Studio Pro are a pretty safe bet.

For one, they work across platforms, so it doesn’t matter whether your gift recipient is an iPhone user or an Android user. The intuitive pairing process, native device integration and wide compatibility make these user-friendly for just about anyone.

They’re also suitable for various use cases. Daily commuters? Check. Frequent flyers? Definitely. College students pulling all-nighters, or music lovers who want to hear every nuance of a track? Absolutely. These can suit almost anyone, day in and day out.

The Beats just feel premium, too. This is the kind of tech someone might not splurge on for themselves, but they would certainly be grateful to receive as a gift. If you’re in the midst of planning your holiday shopping, these are a hit waiting to happen.

Why this Beats deal matters

Let’s get down to numbers. The Beats Studio Pro normally sell for $350 or $450, depending on the color you select. That’s pretty pricey. But right now, several colors are down to $170.

I keep a pretty close eye on tech deals, and huge discounts don’t come around often, especially on newer, high-demand models. I don’t expect a much bigger sale on this product anytime soon. Considering the quality, durability and features packed into these headphones, you’re getting a lot for your investment, including flagship-level ANC, excellent sound and cross-platform support for less than the cost of most premium earbuds.

My final thoughts on my Beats Studio Pro headphones

In a world full of flashy gadgets and fleeting trends, the Beats Studio Pro are the real deal. They’ve become an essential part of my everyday life, not because they’re trendy or hyped, but because they work. They’re reliable, comfortable and sound fantastic. If this discount falls within your price range, it’s a great time to buy them.

NASA hit a snag last year when the Ingenuity Mars helicopter crashed on the Red Planet. The space agency concluded that the crash was caused by the vehicle’s inability to discern flat ground from featureless sand dunes. To avoid such a hiccup in the future, a team of NASA scientists recently descended upon Death Valley, California, to brave the heat and test a team of research drones over similar featureless areas.

«Ingenuity was designed to fly over well-textured terrain, estimating its motion by looking at visual features on the ground,» said Roland Brockers, a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory drone pilot and researcher. «But eventually it had to cross over blander areas where this became hard. We want future vehicles to be more versatile and not have to worry about flying over challenging areas like these sand dunes.»

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It’s not the first time NASA has taken a field trip to the hottest place on Earth. The agency has used Death Valley since the 1970s to test various technologies in preparation for journeys to Mars. This time around, the team was testing Extended Robust Aerial Autonomy software, an autonomous flight system designed to handle a greater range of terrains on Mars. This would prevent another Ingenuity-style incident involving future explorers. 

The team had to endure temperatures that reached a maximum of around 113 degrees Fahrenheit, with only a small pop-up tent to shield them from the intense sun and heat. While NASA has used Death Valley for testing for decades, the JPL team that went in 2025 was only the third team ever to obtain a license to fly research drones at Death Valley. 

Death Valley officials were only too happy to accommodate the researchers. 

«It’s a powerful reminder that the park is protected not just for its scenic beauty, but as a living laboratory that actively helps us understand desert environments,» said Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds.

Useful findings

All of this testing took place in April and September, so NASA has had some time to review the data and determine what worked. According to the agency, the findings showed that different camera filters were effective for various types of terrain, and the improved algorithms enabled drones to descend and land more safely. 

In addition to Death Valley, the team also took their drones to the Dumont Dunes area of the Mojave Desert, renowned for its massive sand dunes, which are a popular spot for off-road recreational vehicles, sandboarding and sand sledding. It’s also noted for its variety of dune formations, providing NASA’s JPL team with more data to test against. 

There are currently no named missions that are set to send a helicopter back to Mars, but NASA and the European Space Agency are developing two mini-Ingenuity helicopters that may one day help return all the samples dutifully collected by the Perseverance Mars rover on its journeys across Mars. Those helicopters will undoubtedly utilize the technology that was tested and improved during NASA’s field trip to Death Valley.