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WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today issued a USDA proclamation to recognize October 2024 as the Department’s 60th anniversary of National Cooperative Month.
Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested more than $17 billion in loans and grants to spur economic development, catalyze rural prosperity and advance equity through rural cooperatives.
WASHINGTON, October 1, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced an investment of $1.7 billion for purchase of locally and regionally produced foods and domestically produced foods for emergency food assistance. These investments, made possible by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), will help American producers by ensuring they have the certainty of access to local and regional markets as well as the financial benefits that come with selling directly to institutions.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2024 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the following statement in response to labor disputes at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports:
If you’re looking for the Wordle answer for October 1, 2024 read on. We’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Today’s puzzle is medium difficult; I got it in five. Beware, there are spoilers below for October 1, Wordle #1,200! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Wordle game.
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!
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.)
There are three common letters from our mnemonic today. The other two are also pretty common.
This computer part dials up.
There is one repeated letter today.
There are two vowels.
Today’s word starts with M.
Today’s word ends with M.
Ready? Today’s word is MODEM.
I started with RAISE and TOUCH, followed by BLEND to eliminate the most common letters. Next I tried PYGMY, which includes consonants found in a lot of possible answers. This left MODEM as the best solution.
Wordle 1,200 5/6 ⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨 ⬛🟩⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛🟨⬛🟨 ⬛⬛⬛🟨⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Yesterday’s Wordle was easier. The hint was “this is found in the sky” and the answer contained four common letters and one fairly common letter.
The answer to yesterday’s Wordle was CLOUD.
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.
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.
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.
If you can’t get enough of five-letter guessing games and their kin, the best Wordle alternatives, ranked by difficulty, include:
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.
Verizon customers around the U.S. are currently experiencing a massive service outage, with phones either not getting any bars or even being stuck in SOS mode.
News of the outage first started hitting the internet around 12 p.m. ET, with DownDetector (which shares the same parent company as Lifehacker) showing over 100,000 user reports of Verizon outages. Reports have fallen since, but are still sitting around 42,000 as of 4 p.m.
According to DownDetector, 51% of users are just generally reporting issues with their mobile phone, while 34% are more specifically saying they don’t have signal, and 15% say they are experiencing a “total blackout.”
The outage doesn’t appear to be restricted to areas hit by Hurricane Helene, either. While DownDetector’s heat map of the outage does say that North Carolina and Georgia are experiencing heavy service interruptions, it also lists New York and Kansas as areas of equal concern.
Not everyone in these areas is experiencing the outage—none of Lifehacker’s East Coast-based staff have seen interruptions to their Verizon service.
Users on X have taken to messaging the @VerizonSupport account for aid, which seems to be providing help over direct message. Roughly before Noon, the account also posted a message confirming the company is aware of the outage.
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The FCC also said that it is aware of the outage, and is “working to determine the cause and extent of these service disruptions.”
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CNET reports that T-Mobile and AT&T’s networks are operating as usual—if you have a plan with either of these companies and are experiencing issues, it’s likely the person you’re trying to contact has a plan with Verizon.
If you are on Verizon, you’ll unfortunately need to wait until the outage is resolved to resume full service. However, iOS users with access to Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite feature or Google Pixel users with Satellite SOS can still place emergency calls despite the network’s status (that’s what the SOS mode you might be seeing is for). If you find yourself in need of emergency services, attempt to place a call anyway—even if you do not have the above features, it’s possible your call might get routed to another network to ensure you get help.
For more casual use, Verizon users can continue to call friends and family using wifi calling apps like Whatsapp.
Home security solutions don’t need to come with a hefty upfront cost or a a mandatory monthly subscription. Right now, you can get a 14-piece Ring alarm kit, covers all the security basics for a two to four-bedroom home and includes a base station, two motion detectors, two keypads, eight contact sensors, and a range extender, for $197.99. That 40% off the list price of $329.99—and the lowest price the kit has ever reached, according to price tracking tools like Keepa.
Setting up 14 pieces might seem like a lot, but the job is fairly straightforward: You plug in the base station, activate the system through the Ring app, and place the sensors wherever you need them. That’s it.
There are three security modes—a home mode that disarms the interior sensors but keeps the exterior ones active, an away mode that arms all the sensors in your home, and a disarm mode that deactivates all sensors. (As a heads-up though, you won’t get push or email alerts in disarmed mode, according to this PCMag review.)
If you prefer handling things on your own and don’t mind contacting the authorities in case of an emergency, you can opt to self-monitor the system. However, if you’d rather leave that to the pros, you’ll can subscribe to the Ring Protect Pro plan, which offers 24/7 professional monitoring, dispatch services, and email alerts for $20 a month.
This kit works well with a variety of smart door locks, switches, and other Ring products, and is compatible with Amazon Echo and Alexa (though a subscription is required to integrate them). If you’re seeking broader compatibility with third-party devices, an Apple smart home system, or Google Assistant, you might want to consider the Abode Iota ($329.99).
You can never have too many snack options, especially when it comes to holiday celebrations like Rosh Hashanah. Switch it up from the apple honey cake, or add something new to the dessert spread, with honey apple puffs. These sweet puffs are perfect for family get-togethers due to their simple ingredient list, easy bulk preparation, and impressive aesthetic, with a flavor that reads like a sweet, warm apple hug.
To make this dessert, you’ll need a package of thawed, store-bought, puff pastry. (If you like a challenge, you can make honey apple puffs with your own classic puff pastry or rough puff, too.) These two points are worth stressing: Buy all-butter puff pastry if you can find it, and thaw it beforehand. If you see a box that doesn’t say “all-butter” on the front, it might be made of shortening instead of butter. Shortening has no flavor, or sometimes even a bit of a factory flavor. Puff pastry is made of little else than fat and flour—since all of its flavor comes from the fat, you want to make sure it’s the tastiest kind, so check the ingredient list. That said, if you can’t find the butter variety, the shortening pastry will do.
Most puff pastry is sold in frozen rolls (it travels better, keeps longer, and doesn’t risk damage), but you won’t be able to do anything with it when it’s rock solid, and there’s no fast way to thaw it without melting the fat. Follow the thawing directions on the box, which usually include leaving it on the counter for a couple hours, closely monitored. Check on it periodically because you never want the puff pastry to get warm; it should always be cool to the touch. The other, less risky, option is to let it thaw overnight in the fridge. I prefer this because I know it’ll thaw slowly and securely in there, and only requires a little bit of forethought.
The day you’re ready to make the apple puffs, start by preparing the apples. Use apples that are relatively small. You’re going to slice them across, so the diameter of the thickest apple slice shouldn’t be larger than the diameter of the circular cutter you’ll use for the puff pastry. Peel the apples and slice ¼-inch thick pieces horizontally across the width of the apple. You’ll see the apple blossom star-pattern of the core when you get to the center. I love the way this looks. It’s edible, and the texture is barely firmer than the rest of the apple. If this displeases you for any reason, you can core the center out. Pop out any seeds that might get caught in the slice.
Sauté the apples in a small amount of butter for about two minutes on each side over medium-low heat. This ensures the apple slices are cooked through completely, and helps them maintain their moisture so they don’t dry out into fruit leather in the oven. Take the apples off the heat, dust them with a pinch of cinnamon, and set them aside to cool for a few minutes. Meanwhile, unroll your thawed, but still cold, puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 2-inch circles using a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter. (If you have no cutters, use a knife and cut out squares.) Place the puff pastry circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The puffs will … puff, so it’s best to leave about an inch of space between neighbors. I was able to get exactly 12 circles from one sheet of Trader Joe’s puff pastry. (Freeze the scraps, or bake them off for fun croutons.)
Things speed up quickly from here. Top each pastry circle with an apple round, give it a gentle press to ensure it doesn’t slide off in the oven (this pastry will expand dramatically, don’t test her), and sprinkle each one with a hearty pinch of sugar, about a ¼ teaspoon. Bake in a 400°F oven for about 15 minutes. The puffs are finished baking when they’ve inflated along the edges, the tops are golden brown, and the bottom edge is a deep brown, but not burnt. Undercooked puff pastry is not bad, but perfectly cooked puff pastry is sumptuous. When in doubt, leave it for another minute.
Once the apple puffs are out of the oven, let them cool for a minute or two so you can handle them. Plate the puffs and give each one a long drizzle of honey. If the puffs are still warm, the honey will pool up in the slightly concave middle of each apple, creating a beautiful, and delicious, gooey center. Each bite is a festival of textures—a crunchy, soft, and syrupy performance of a dessert. But where the textures are bold, the flavors are delicate with floral honey, rich butter, and warming apple-cinnamon lingering on your palate. These honey apple puffs are best enjoyed within a few hours after baking.
2-3 small apples, peeled and sliced into 12 ¼-inch thick rounds
1 tablespoon butter
¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
1 sheet store-bought puff pastry, thawed
3-4 tablespoons honey
Sugar for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sauté the apple slices in a skillet with butter for about two minutes on each side over medium-low heat. Apples will soften slightly, but should not break apart or take on too much color. Take the apples off the heat and sprinkle them with cinnamon. Set aside to cool.
Cut the thawed puff pastry into 12 2-inch wide circles; they should be slightly bigger than the apple slices. (Cut into squares if you don’t have the appropriate circle cutter.) Top each round with an apple slice and gently press the apples down. Sprinkle each round with a ¼ teaspoon (or a heavy pinch) of sugar.
Bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, until puffed and toasted, and the bottoms are nicely browned. Plate immediately and top with a drizzle of honey, and maybe another dusting of cinnamon, if desired.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in partnership with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), today announced the three projects recommended for funding through the “Nourishing Next Generation Agrifood Breakthroughs” (Innovation Challenge). The Innovation Challenge intends to fund Columbia University and the University of British Columbia $500,000 each and From the Land, LLC, $150,000 for their groundbreaking project ideas and potential impacts to transform agriculture.
With Amazon’s “October Prime Day” sale set to start Oct. 8, many Amazon devices have been on sale with early deals. Two of those deals are particularly great for Kindle fans: The refurbished Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and Kindle Scribe are available on Amazon for $134.99 (originally $169.99) and $233.99 (originally $309.99) respectively. These refurbished Kindles don’t go on sale very often and are cheaper than their new counterparts have ever been.
Discounted refurbished Kindles are kind of a hot commodity and sell out fairly quickly. Other than buying them used from sites like eBay, it’s the best moment to buy them for much cheaper than getting them new. Amazon’s refurbished program tests them and replaces any defective parts.
The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is essentially the same as the Kindle Paperwhite but with twice the storage (32 GB), an auto-adjusting light feature that automatically adjusts the screen brightness depending on how bright (or dark) your surroundings are, and wireless charging. At $134.99 for the Signature Edition, it is the same price as the regular Kindle Paperwhite, making it a great deal.
The Amazon Kindle Scribe is $339.99 new, and the lowest it has dropped before is $239.99 during the summer. If you trust Amazon’s refurbished program, you can snag one right now for a couple of dollars cheaper. The Scribe is one of the best e-readers you can buy and you likely won’t see it come down to this price on the upcoming sales.
Every few months, I go through a phase in which I decide I’m going to organize my home even better than I did the last few times this spirit overtook me. For me, this usually involves snooping around online, seeing what magical products are available to fix my entire life, and buying them on the spot. The truth is, there are a lot of organizational tools out there for every room and need—but some are better than others. Of course, that’s subjective, but as someone who has bought so many of these shelves, storage containers, and random organizers, I want to share the ones that have made the biggest difference for me.
I am a big believer in the concept of “storage as decoration,” which is party by necessity (I live in a small space) and partly by vanity (I have a nice things and they deserve to be out in the open). I’m also the kind of person whose object permanence is a little shaky, at least when it comes to what I own. If my accessories, clothes, tools, or whatever else aren’t at least a little visible, I can forget I have them.
One of the smartest things I did two years ago was pick up some big shelves for my living room area. Keeping everything in containers that are hidden away is great for a decluttered look, but for me, having my possessions well-organized and within reach is better for functionality. I am a stickler about my decorating and color scheme, so I got these pink ones:
By sticking with the color scheme I like, I trick myself into using the products more often. I have noticed that when I had shelving units that I bought just because they were cheap but they didn’t match my decor, I didn’t use them as much. Some people—my mother—would say that is ridiculous, but the first step to organizing is actually figuring out how you can maximize the use of your stuff by attuning your strategy to your personality. I am not always a practical, pragmatic person. I’m dedicated to whimsy and quick hits of joy. When I stopped fighting to turn myself into someone more rigid and embraced that about myself, everything got easier. Pink shelves it is.
I’ve mentioned this before, but cube shelves are an absolute necessity for me. For the most part, I do try to stick with organizational principles that say similar items must be stored together and should each have a designated spot, so having shelving units that are divided up makes it easier to hyper-categorize things. It also helps me declutter, since I know there is just one small cube’s worth of space for each category, so I have to be discerning about what I keep and buy.
I have cube shelving in my closet, underneath where my dresses and jumpsuits hang, to make the most of all the empty space. I also have a row in my kitchen, which helps me keep utensils and tools in order (and gives me a little extra workspace along the top). You can get a 12-cuber for $39.99, but mess around with the configurations to figure out which amount is right for you.
Try as I might, I can’t fit all my clothes into my closet—at least not in a way that keeps them wrinkle-free or organized in any meaningful sense. A year ago, I just gave up and ordered a clothing rack. Again, this sets me up for a “storage as decoration” approach, so I wanted to make sure it was nice enough to be out in the open. I got a beautiful gold one on which I keep my nicest dresses and my coats, freeing up space in the closet and displaying a bit of finery (or at least that’s what I tell myself).
This has been a lifesaver for me because big dresses take up so much closet space and squishing them in is a terrible idea if I want them to look nice when it comes time to wear them. The gold tone is pretty, not tacky like the standard-issue silver one I used to have in my old apartment, and the built-in shelf is perfect for shoes that don’t necessarily fit anywhere else, like over-the-knee boots.
I recommend over-the-door shoe racks a lot and I do stand by that recommendation because making use of the wasted space behind the door of your closet is a smart organizational choice. You can put all kinds of things in those, too, like belts, scarves, gloves, and other tiny accessories. Still, I love—love—my shoe tree because it holds so many more shoes than an over-door rack and takes up such little space.
Right now, the one I got is under $40 for a rack that holds 24 pairs of shoes vertically. It spins, so I can easily access the ones in the back, and it holds them upside down so they maintain their structure. I put all my nice shoes on here and stick my everyday ones in the pocketed over-door holders. This was my first major purchase when I first moved into my own apartment and this thing has lasted for six years and been consistently helpful ever since.
