If you’re looking for the Wordle answer for December 8, 2023 read on. We’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Today’s puzzle is on the easier side; I had it narrowed down to just one possibility after my second guess. Beware, there are spoilers below for December 8, Wordle #902! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Wordle game.

How to play Wordle

Wordle lives here on the New York Times website. A new puzzle goes live every day at midnight, your local time.

Start by guessing a five-letter word. The letters of the word will turn green if they’re correct, yellow if you have the right letter in the wrong place, or gray if the letter isn’t in the day’s secret word at all. For more, check out our guide to playing Wordle here, and my strategy guide here for more advanced tips. (We also have more information at the bottom of this post, after the hints and answers.)

Ready for the hints? Let’s go!

Does today’s Wordle have any unusual letters?

We’ll define common letters as those that appear in the old typesetters’ phrase ETAOIN SHRDLU. (Memorize this! Pronounce it “Edwin Shirdloo,” like a name, and pretend he’s a friend of yours.)

Four of the letters are common, and one is sort of medium. No weird or unusual letters today.

Can you give me a hint for today’s Wordle?

It will make you think of a fresh pencil, or a bright student.

Does today’s Wordle have any double or repeated letters?

Nope, five different letters today.

How many vowels are in today’s Wordle?

There is only one vowel in today’s Wordle.

What letter does today’s Wordle start with?

Today’s word starts with S.

What letter does today’s Wordle end with?

Today’s word ends with P.

What is the solution to today’s Wordle?

Ready? Today’s word is SHARP.

How I solved today’s Wordle

ARISE first, as always; the A, R, and S were yellow. I considered SEA_ or SAR_ _ , but those didn’t feel promising. I settled on SCRAP, thinking I might actually get it in two for once. I didn’t, but getting the green S and P, with yellow R and A, only really left S_ARP as a possibility. Had to be SHARP.

Wordle 902 3/6

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A primer on Wordle basics

The idea of Wordle is to guess the day’s secret word. When you first open the Wordle game, you’ll see an empty grid of letters. It’s up to you to make the first move: type in any five-letter word. 

Now, you can use the colors that are revealed to get clues about the word: 

• Green means you correctly guessed a letter, and it’s in the correct position. (For example, if you guess PARTY, and the word is actually PURSE, the P and R will be green.)

• Yellow means the letter is somewhere in the word, but not in the position you guessed it. (For example, if you guessed PARTY, but the word is actually ROAST, the R, A and T will all be yellow.)

• Gray means the letter is not in the solution word at all. (If you guessed PARTY and everything is gray, then the solution cannot be PURSE or ROAST.)

With all that in mind, guess another word, and then another, trying to land on the correct word before you run out of chances. You get six guesses, and then it’s game over.

The best starter words for Wordle

What should you play for that first guess? The best starters tend to contain common letters, to increase the chances of getting yellow and green squares to guide your guessing. (And if you get all grays when guessing common letters, that’s still excellent information to help you rule out possibilities.) There isn’t a single “best” starting word, but the New York Times’s Wordle analysis bot has suggested starting with one of these:

• CRANE

• TRACE

• SLANT

• CRATE

• CARTE

Meanwhile, an MIT analysis found that you’ll eliminate the most possibilities in the first round by starting with one of these:

• SALET

• REAST

• TRACE

• CRATE

• SLATE

Other good picks might be ARISE or ROUND. Words like ADIEU and AUDIO get more vowels in play, but you could argue that it’s better to start with an emphasis on consonants, using a starter like RENTS or CLAMP. Choose your strategy, and see how it plays out.

How to win at Wordle

We have a few guides to Wordle strategy, which you might like to read over if you’re a serious student of the game. This one covers how to use consonants to your advantage, while this one focuses on a strategy that uses the most common letters. In this advanced guide, we detail a three-pronged approach for fishing for hints while maximizing your chances of winning quickly.

The biggest thing that separates Wordle winners from Wordle losers is that winners use their guesses to gather information about what letters are in the word. If you know that the word must end in -OUND, don’t waste four guesses on MOUND, ROUND, SOUND, and HOUND; combine those consonants and guess MARSH. If the H lights up in yellow, you know the solution.

One more note on strategy: the original Wordle used a list of about 2,300 solution words, but after the game was bought by the NYT, the game now has an editor who hand-picks the solutions. Sometimes they are slightly tricky words that wouldn’t have made the original list, and sometimes they are topical. For example, FEAST was the solution one Thanksgiving. So keep in mind that there may be a theme.

Wordle alternatives

If you can’t get enough of five-letter guessing games and their kin, the best Wordle alternatives, ranked by difficulty, include:

• Wheeldle, which lets you play one puzzle after another

• Dordle and Quordle, which ask you to play two (Dordle) or four (Quordle) puzzles at the same time, with the same guesses. There is also Octordle, with eight puzzles, and Sedecordle, with 16.

• Waffle, which shows you several five-letter words, scrambled in a grid; you play by swapping the letters around until you solve.

• Absurdle, which changes the solution after each guess, but needs to stay consistent with its previous feedback. You have to strategically back it into a corner until there is only one possible word left; then you guess it, and win.

• Squabble, in which you play Wordle against other people with a timer running. You take damage if you spend too much time between guesses; winner is the last one standing.

• Antiwordle, in which you are trying not to guess the day’s solution. You’re required to reuse any letters that you (oops) guessed correctly, so the longer it takes you, the better you are at the game.

Source: LifeHacker – Today’s Wordle Hints (and Answer) for Friday, December 8, 2023

Unless you give AirPods to an Android user, you can’t really go wrong with a nice pair of headphones as a gift. Even still, to make things a little easier for you, I rounded up the best deals you can find right now on headphones and who they’re best suited for, so you can rest easy knowing you’re getting a good deal and giving a great gift. 

Noise-canceling headphones for those who work from home

Everyone who works from home could use a nice pair of noise-canceling headphones, especially if they have kids or dogs. Luckily for you (and them), there are many great deals on headphones with Active Noise Cancelling (ANC).

• The Sony WH-1000XM4 for $228 (originally $348) at Amazon, Best Buy, or Walmart is currently at its lowest price yet, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history. This is one of the best ANC headphones you can get at the moment and is currently very well-priced. You can read more about them from my earlier post.

• If you think the person on your list prefers earbuds, consider the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, currently going for $199 (originally $279). These come with an assortment of features, like swapping seamlessly between the last seven paired devices, but their noise-canceling technology is what makes them stand out. This is also, by far, the lowest price these earbuds have been, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history. You can read the full PCMag review here.

Long battery life for the music lovers

Headphones that can last for than 30 hours of playtime are impressive, but you know what’s even better? 50 hours. If you have someone on your list who appreciates not charging their gadgets, these headphones will impress them.

• The JBL Live 660NC are over-ear noise-canceling headphones that will give you 50 hours of playtime with ANC turned off (up to 40 hours with ANC off). A 10-minute charge will give them another four hours of playtime. It also has an Ambient Aware feature that lets you hear your surroundings and another feature that lets you have a conversation without taking your headphones off. You can get the JBL Live 660NC for $99.95 (originally $199.95) from Amazon. This is the second-lowest price they’ve ever been, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history.

• If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option with just as impressive battery life, consider the JBL Tune 710BT headphones. These also have a 50-hour battery life, just none of the fancy features. However, you can still take calls and have voice assistant to control your phone with the push of a button. You can get the JBL Tune 710BT headphones for $39.95 (originally $79.95) from Amazon. This matches the lowest price they’ve ever been, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history.

Headphones for the gamer in your life

If you have a gamer on your list who plays on consoles or PC, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay gaming headphones are a great gift for an even more impressive discount. The ANC Bluetooth headphones are currently $329 off after a 66% discount from Woot. You can get the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay for $169.99 (originally $499) during the month of December or while supplies last.

Pixel Buds Pro for the Google lovers

People who like Google gadgets, like Google Homes and Pixel phones, are probably invested in the Google ecosystem and want to keep it that way. If they’re in need of new earbuds, consider the Google Pixel Buds Pro, which are 40% off at $119.99 (was $199.99). This matches the lowest price they hit (starting on Black Friday) since their release last summer, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history. You can read their full PCMag review here.

Beats for the ones who like to show off

We know the type who likes to show off their new headphones to their friends. If you have someone like that on your list, consider the Beats Solo3, which are 50% off at $99.99 (originally $199.95). This matches their Black Friday price, which is the cheapest they’ve ever been, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history. These headphones give you up to 40 hours of listening time with fast charging (Three hours of playtime with just a five-minute charge) and have a microphone so you can take calls with them. You can read the full Beats Solo3 PCMag review here.

Source: LifeHacker – These Are the Best Christmas Sales on Headphones

When certain rooms in a home are consistently warmer or cooler than others, there may be an obvious cause, like an uninsulated exterior wall or drafty windows. But that’s not always the case.

If you’re unable to determine what’s behind the temperature difference, there’s a good chance that your home’s HVAC system needs to be balanced. Air balancing is an essential part of maintaining effective circulation and air quality throughout your home. To better understand this process and why it’s important, Lifehacker spoke with four HVAC technicians and specialists. Here’s what they told us about HVAC balancing, including how to make some DIY adjustments, and when to call a professional.

What is air balancing?

Balancing an HVAC system (or simply “air balancing”) refers to the process of making adjustments in order to optimize a home’s heating and cooling system, and ultimately, making it more efficient, says Jimmy Hiller, president and CEO of Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical.

“The primary goal of air balancing is to ensure the even distribution of air throughout the home, leading to consistent temperatures in all rooms,” Hiller tells Lifehacker. The process involves making sure each room receives an appropriate amount of heated or cooled air based on its size and usage, he explains.

What are the signs an HVAC system needs to be balanced?

According to all of the HVAC experts we spoke with, the telltale sign that your HVAC system needs to be balanced is uneven heating and/or cooling in different areas of the home. In other words, certain rooms or areas being consistently warmer or cooler than others without a (separate) clear cause.

“If you walk into a room in your house and it feels like the temperature dropped five degrees, this could be a sign of a draft, but it could also be a sign of an HVAC system that just needs to be balanced,” says John Gabrielli, owner and founder of Air Temp Solutions.

Noises like whistling vents or loud air handlers may also be a sign of imbalances in an HVAC system, says Hiller. “Balancing the system can help reduce these noises by ensuring that air flows smoothly through the ductwork,” he explains.

What causes HVAC system imbalances?

Temperature imbalance can be due to various factors like the distance from the HVAC unit, the size and layout of the ductwork, or the natural heat gain/loss in different parts of the home.

“Over time, ductwork can become blocked or begin to leak out air,” Gabrielli tells Lifehacker. “Changes in the home, like renovations or additions, can also alter airflow patterns.” Hiller adds shifts in foundations and insulation to the list of changes in a home’s dynamics that can lead to a home’s original HVAC design no longer being optimal.

In other instances, a closed supply register may be the culprit. “A homeowner that closes supply registers may unintentionally reduce total system airflow, which can stress the blower motor,” says Jennie Bergman, senior product manager of Indoor Air Quality at Trane Residential. “This can lead to increased energy usage, and ultimately, may cause premature system failures because of the excessive wear on the HVAC system.” According to Bergman, a closed supply register has a similar negative impact on HVAC system performance as a dirty or clogged air filter.

Why is air balancing important?

As we discussed above, a balanced HVAC system is necessary for even airflow and consistent temperatures throughout the areas of your home. But, as Hiller and Gabrielli explain, air balancing is essential for reasons beyond comfort. Let’s start with those related to money.

“An unbalanced system can lead to inefficiencies, causing the HVAC system to work harder than necessary to maintain the desired temperature,” says Hiller. When your HVAC system is forced to work harder, it will lead to increases in energy consumption, and, in turn, utility bills. And because it’s overworked, this puts extra strain on the system, which could result in components breaking down more frequently and requiring costly repairs, potentially shortening its lifespan.

It could also cost you when you decide to sell your home. “Regular air balancing is important for preserving and potentially increasing the value of the property, as a well-maintained HVAC system is one of the key features that potential buyers look for,” Hiller explains.

But that’s not all: HVAC system imbalances could also end up harming your home, or even your health. “Proper air circulation is essential for maintaining good indoor air quality,” says Hiller. “An unbalanced system might not effectively circulate air in certain areas, leading to issues such as moisture accumulation, mold growth, or stagnant air.”  

How to balance your HVAC system

As the experts have explained, air balancing is a process that involves making adjustments to various parts of your HVAC system to improve its efficiency. Like most processes, there are usually a number of different steps—some of which are more difficult than others.

In this case, there are many complicated aspects of HVAC system balancing that should only be done by a professional. However, there are also some relatively simple DIY adjustments you can try making first. While these adjustments aren’t going to fix every possible problem, they may take care of yours and are worth trying before calling a professional.

Check the filters

Even if you’re already changing your HVAC filters on a regular basis, you’ll need to do it again. “Whether you or an HVAC technician will perform the balancing, it should always start with checking and replacing filters, because dirty air filters can restrict airflow,” Hiller explains. And according to Chris Winters, a tech content specialist at Cielo WiGle Inc. with five years of experience as an HVAC technician, clogged filters can also cause uneven temperatures. “Clean [your HVAC air filters] every two weeks, and replace [them] every three to four months for optimal performance,” he tells Lifehacker.

Inspect the vents

Next, check all of your home’s air vents—meaning the supply vents (i.e. the ones that blow heated or cool air into your home) as well as the return vents (i.e. the ones that pull air from the rooms in your home and return it to the HVAC system), Hiller advises. Make sure that the vents are open and unobstructed.

Clean the vents

If you notice dust and dirt in your air vents—including stuck in their cover or grille—it’s time to clean them. This 2021 Lifehacker post walks through the various steps in the cleaning process.

Sometimes you might get lucky and figure out that a particular room or area was too hot or too cold because one (or more) of its air vents was switched off, or that a piece of furniture, other large object, or an obscene amount of dust and dirt was blocking it completely. If that didn’t happen, move on to the next steps. (Or, if you’re nearing the end of your technical expertise and/or patience, it may be time to call a professional.)

Do a temperature check

While the HVAC system is running, check the air vents in each room. First, make sure air is blowing out of the each supply vent. If it’s not, double check the vent to see if it’s actually open. If it’s open, but there’s no airflow at all—or it’s extremely low—make a note of it: You’ll probably need to call an HVAC technician, and this way, you’ll be able to let them known which vents aren’t working.

If there is air blowing out of the supply vent, use a thermometer (we recommend an infrared thermometer) to check and make note of its temperature. When you’ve hit up all the vents in your home, review the airflow temperatures, identifying rooms or areas that are too hot or too cold.

Find and adjust the dampers

The next step in DIY air balancing involves your HVAC system’s dampers. According to Hiller, many systems have dampers in the ductwork that can be adjusted to control the airflow to each room.

But before you adjust the dampers, you have to find them. “To locate the dampers, follow the ductwork from the furnace,” Hiller explains. “Dampers are typically located where the ducts branch off from the main line.”

If you don’t already know which ducts supply the air to the various rooms and areas in your home, you may need someone to check the airflow coming through the supply vents and let you know whether there are any changes when you adjust a particular damper. The process is similar to figuring out which breaker controls the electricity on an outlet or switch, and also involves some trial and error.

To adjust your HVAC dampers, you’ll need to rotate the levers outside the ducts. As Winters explains, moving the lever will either open or close a metal disk inside the supply line that controls the airflow to different parts of your home. “Rotate the lever for maximum airflow, keeping the metal disk flat, and be mindful that an upright position blocks airflow,” he notes.

Now that you’ve figured out how to make the adjustments, refer back to your list noting the temperature of the air coming through the vents of each room.

“Slightly close the dampers in rooms that are receiving too much air—usually the ones closest to the HVAC unit—and open them more for rooms that are not receiving enough,” says Hiller. “Make small adjustments, about 10 to 20 percent at a time, and wait a day or two to observe the impact before making further changes.”

Over the next few days, monitor the temperatures in each room, and continue making further adjustments to the dampers until you achieve balanced airflow. “Remember: Each home and HVAC system is unique, so what works for one might not work for another,” says Hiller. “Be patient and prepared for a bit of experimentation to achieve the best results.”

Source: LifeHacker – You Need to Balance Your HVAC System

AI chatbots are more popular than ever, and there are plenty of solid options out there to choose from beyond OpenAI’s ChatGPT. One particularly strong competitor is Google’s Bard AI, which pulls information from the internet and runs off the latest Gemini language model created by Google.

What is Google Bard?

Bard is Google’s answer to ChatGPT. It’s an AI chatbot designed to respond to various queries and tasks, all while offering the latest AI language model to work off of. Like most other chatbots, including ChatGPT, Bard can answer math problems, help with writing articles and documents, and most other tasks you expect a generative AI bot to accomplish.

How does Bard work?

Much like ChatGPT, Bard is powered by a large language model (LLM) and is designed to respond with reasonable and human-like answers to your queries and requests. Previously, Bard used Google’s PaLM 2 language model, but Google has since released an update that adds in Gemini Pro, the search giant’s most complex and capable language model yet. Running Bard with two different language models has allowed Google to see the bot in action in several different ways. Bard can be accessed on any device by visiting the chatbot’s website, just like ChatGPT.

Who can access Google Bard?

Bard is currently available to the general public via an experimental beta. Google is still hard at work on the AI chatbot and hopes to continue improving it. As such, any responses, queries, or tasks submitted to Bard will be reviewed by Google engineers to help the AI learn more from the questions that you’re asking.

To start using Bard, simply head over to bard.google.com and sign in.

What languages does Bard support?

Bard currently supports over 40 languages. Google hasn’t said yet if it plans to add more language support to the chatbot, but a Google support doc notes that it currently it supports: Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese (Simplified / Traditional), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Farsi, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kannada, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malayalam, Marathi, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

What features does Bard offer?

Like ChatGPT, Bard can answer basic questions, help with coding, and solve complex mathematic equations. Additionally, Google added support for multimodal search in July, allowing users to input pictures as well as text into the chatbot. This, along with the other capabilities of the chatbot, allow the bot to complete reverse image searches. Google can also include images in its answers, which are pulled from the search giant’s online results.

Is Bard connected to the internet?

Yes, Google Bard is connected to the internet. The chatbot has actually had internet access more widely available than ChatGPT, meaning that the model is trained on the latest and most up-to-date information found on the internet. This is obviously a nice advantage over ChatGPT, which just added full access to the internet in recent months, but it also introduces some possible room for misinformation.

How accurate is Google Bard?

Now that Bard is using Gemini Pro, it’s expected to be one of the most accurate chatbots available on the web right now. However, past experiences with Bard have shown that the bot is likely to hallucinate or take credit for information that it found via Google searches. This is a problem that Google has been working hard to fix, and it has managed to improve the results and how they are handled exceptionally well over the past few months. However, like any chatbot, Bard is still capable of creating information that is untrue or plagiarized. As such, it is always recommended you double check any information that chatbots like Bard provide, to ensure it is original and accurate.

Is Bard free to use?

Bard is currently free to use and Google has not shared any plans to charge for the chatbot just yet. However, it did announce an advanced Bard option, which will utilize the strongest and most capable version of its Gemini language model, Gemini Ultra. That feature isn’t set to arrive until sometime in 2024, though, and Google will likely charge for it.

How does Bard compare to ChatGPT?

Bard is a solid competitor for ChatGPT, especially now that Gemini should bring results more akin to GPT-4 into the chatbot. The interface is very similar, and the functionality offered by both chatbots should handle most of the queries and tasks that you throw at either of them. Google’s current lack of any paid plans also make Bard an accessible option, and you get the most up-to-date information thanks to Bard’s internet access. To connect ChatGPT to the internet right now, you’d either need to utilize Copilot, which uses GPT-4 with Bing search, or subscribe to ChatGPT Plus. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, new subscriptions for ChatGPT Plus are currently closed.

Google did share some information about how Gemini compares to GPT-4V, one of the latest versions of GPT-4, and it actually achieves more accurate results in several fields. However, it’s hard to say exactly which one is better, as they both have their strengths. Ultimately, I’d recommend trying to complete whatever task you want to accomplish in both, and then seeing which one works best for your needs.

Google is also working on other AI-driven systems, which it could possibly include in Bard’s working systems later down the line. For now, though, the company is keeping some of its more extreme developments, like MusicLM, which uses AI to generate music, to itself.

Source: LifeHacker – These Are the Biggest Differences Between Google Bard and ChatGPT

With the holidays closing in and so much left to do, now is a good time to consider getting a home cleaning, even if (or maybe especially if) you’ve never done it before. There is a certain etiquette involved when you first hire a cleaner, so keep that in mind, but know that first-timers often get great discounts on the service.

Deals on home cleaning

A lot of the cleaning services you’ll be able to access depend on where you live, but some major brands have wide service areas. For instance, your first three-hour cleaning with Home Aglow is just $19—but you have to check your area here first and be aware that to access the lower prices, you have to pay a $49 monthly membership fee.

Other national brands, like the Maids and Merry Maids, offer prices dependent on if you’re doing a one-time or even holiday-exclusive cleaning and will provide an estimate after you put in some information. 

You can also try apps and services like Handy or Angi, which connect professionals with people looking for plumbing, electrical help, and, of course, cleaning. They almost always have first-time discounts and a wide network of professionals who use the app to book appointments. For instance, I just checked availability on Handy for my childhood home in North Dakota and found that there was not only a professional available there, but the three-hour cleaning would be $55. Angi, meanwhile, lets you compare prices from a number of nearby providers. The professionals and prices they pull together are based on how urgent your need is, how big your space is, and what you need done. 

Things to keep in mind if hiring a holiday cleaner

There are several ways to secure a pre-holiday cleaning on the cheap, with first-time and holiday-specific deals all over. Keep in mind that some (again, like Home Aglow) want you to pay a monthly membership fee to keep your cleanings low-cost on the surface and others won’t always be that cheap if you decide to keep using them after your initial discount. 

It’s also important to keep in mind that this is a skilled and personal service from a human being who is going to be required to touch your dirty stuff no matter how much it costs you. Whether you’re paying $19 for three hours or $100 for two, that person still has to scrub the same amount of gunk and grime, so make sure you tip especially well if you’re using a discount of any kind. It’s hard to know if the discounted money comes out of their pocket or the company’s, so you can always ask—but even if they tell you they’re not allowed to discuss that (which has happened to me), tip well just in case.

If you decide to clean on your own again this year…

If you’re determined to get ready for the holidays on your own or can’t find a cleaner at the right price in your area, here are some the products you’ll need:

• First, stock up on microfiber cloths. They work on practically everything and aren’t abrasive. Every cleaning tutorial you’ll come across will demand you have these. Here are 50 for $12.99.

• Get the always-popular O-Cedar mop and wringer set for $24.49 to minimize the sloppiness of mopping and keep your mop nice and clean.

• You deserve a holiday splurge, so maybe this is the right moment to finally grab a Dyson vacuum. The V11 cordless is $399 right now.

• Take some of the manual labor out of your cleaning routine with a motorized brush that spins to get gunk and grime out of cracks and off your surfaces. The Voweek scrubber comes with four different heads and is $42.49, plus it’s expandable, so you don’t have to bend down.

Source: LifeHacker – Where to Find Cheap Home Cleaning Services for the Holidays