Threading is an art form. Replying to your own posts allows you to compile a bunch of information in one place or keep commenting on something that’s ongoing. Threading is also very clumsy: you need to dig up your own posts and reply to them.

Tusks is a Mac and iOS application for Mastodon users who really, really like making threads. This application, from indie developer Third Culture Apps, turns any Mastodon account into a sort of private blog. The app is all about posting—you can’t browse your timeline and you can’t see any replies. What you can do is see your own posts, browse them by threads, and add additional replies. It’s not a replacement for a full Mastodon client—it’s a purpose-built threading tool.

Open the application and you will see all of your recent posts in the left sidebar. You can click any of them to unfurl them as a thread, complete with a reply box you can use to add additional replies. There’s a few nice features for organizing your threads. You can give them a name, visible only to you. You can also pin the threads you re-visit the most, allowing you to find them in one place.

I’ve used this for a few threads over the past week and enjoy how it forces me to consider my own writing. Without Tusks, it is very easy to fire off a post quickly in order to get back to the timeline to read other people’s stuff. This application removes that impulse by being for only one thing: writing.

Not everyone is going to want that, which is fine. Having a bunch of tools available is part of what made Twitter fun in the early 2010s, when designers took advantage of the network’s generous API to re-imagine what communication online could look like. I recall there being multiple tools for making threads. Twitter, now called X, is these days less a social network than it is a midlife crisis, and changes made to the API a couple years ago killed off that ecosystem. It’s nice to see some of that spirit coming back elsewhere.

The free version of Tusks can be used for drafting, but not publishing; the paid version is $5 right now, but that price will eventually go up, according to the developer. If you like this idea, I recommend trying it out now.

If your car lease is coming to an end, you have a decision to make: should you roll right into another lease contract, buy out your current lease to own the vehicle going forward, or choose a different car altogether?

While leasing is generally not the most financially sound choice, as it could very well cost you more in the long run than financing a vehicle you’ll own, buying your leased vehicle near or at the end of your term can make sense in some cases. Here’s when you should (and shouldn’t) buy your leased car.

When you should buy your leased car

The choice to buy out your lease when it ends (or before it ends, in some cases) is a matter of balancing finances with your car’s condition and whether you want to keep driving it. Here are a few factors that may tip that balance toward buying:

• The purchase price is less than the vehicle’s market value. This may be the case if the mileage is low, the condition is like new, and/or the value has increased significantly since your lease term began—and more likely if you took excellent care of your vehicle with routine maintenance and repairs as well as regular cleaning.

• You drove fewer miles than allocated in your lease agreement. You won’t get a refund for unused miles, and that low mileage may increase your vehicle’s value above the buyout price.

• The vehicle has damage or excess wear and tear. On the flip side, your vehicle being in poor condition can significantly reduce its value, and you may owe a lot in penalties to the dealer upon return (on top of the cost for repairs). In this case, it might be cheaper to buy the lease and get the repairs done yourself.

• You owe fees based on contract terms. In addition to penalties for damage, some lease agreements charge fees for exceeding your mileage allowance. You’ll want to factor this in when determining the cost of buying out the lease or returning the vehicle.

• You plan to flip and resell the vehicle. Depending on the make, model, and condition, you may be able to turn a profit by buying your leased vehicle, upgrading it, and reselling it. The used car market has calmed down from its height in the least few years, but some in-demand vehicles may still be worth flipping.

Of course, none of the above really matters if you don’t like driving your leased car or it doesn’t work for your current (and near future) needs. But if you love your vehicle, compare the buyout price to purchasing the same thing elsewhere, which will help you decide whether buying the lease or shopping the market makes more sense.

When you shouldn’t buy your leased car

Obviously the inverse of much of the above is a good indicator that buying out your lease may not be the best choice. If the market value of your vehicle is lower than the buyout price—due to high mileage, wear and tear, or low demand for that make and model—you’ll owe a lot in fees, or you expect to have ongoing costly repairs and maintenance, it probably doesn’t make financial sense to purchase the car when the lease ends. Similarly, if your needs and preferences have changed, that vehicle may not be the best fit going forward.

Another consideration: whether you can pay in cash (and avoid financing) or if your current credit will get you a good rate and a reasonable monthly payment if you need a loan.

How to buy out your lease

First things first, review your lease agreement to determine whether a buyout is an option and what the costs and fees are. You should also do comprehensive research on your vehicle’s current market value (use a site like Kelley Blue Book) and compare financing options—that is, if you need to get a loan to cover the buyout and any remaining payments. Be sure to consider other costs, like registration, sales tax, and insurance payments, as well.

The timing of the buyout may also be a factor. It can be more expensive to buy your lease mid-contract because you’ll have to cover remaining lease payments, and you may have more leverage once the leasing company contacts you about 90 days before the end of your lease term to go over your options. As with any car purchase, you may be able to negotiate.

Creating and sticking to a cleaning schedule is difficult, but only because life is difficult. Finding time to clean can feel impossible, especially when you’ve had a stressful day at work, with your family, or just in general. But what if you could harnessing that negative energy and turn it into cleaning power? That’s the idea behind TikTok’s “Angry Cleaning” trend, and if you’re as grumpy as I am, you mind find it helps you get your home a lot cleaner.

What is TikTok’s “Angry Cleaning” trend about?

I found the term “angry cleaning” on TikTok, but quickly realized it describes something I already do: Whenever I’m annoyed or upset, I start to clean—usually something that requires a little oomph, like scrubbing or vacuuming. It turns out I’m not alone.

There are a few benefits at work here. Pouring your negative energy into cleaning can distract you from whatever is annoying you, providing a menial task you can accomplish without a lot of active thinking. It lets you physically work out your negativity, especially if you’re really putting some muscle into whatever you’re doing (cleaning the oven is a good task). It also gives you a positive end result that can lift your spirits and make you feel motivated: After cleaning for a while, your head will feel clearer and you’ll have a cleaner oven to show for it.

How to incorporate “Angry Cleaning” into your routine

I’ll stop short of recommending that you wait to clean until you’re upset; you should still try to follow a cleaning schedule and stay consistent with your efforts to tidy up. Nor do I recommend intentionally pissing yourself off so you can work up the motivation to scrub all those dirty pans.

When the opportunity to Angry Clean arises naturally, however, it pays to find the right outlet. Choose an arduous task like cleaning the bathroom grout, so you can really put your back into it and physically work out your anger. It needn’t be something truly strenuous—I like folding laundry when I’m mad because I get to slap the folded garments down on the pile with a bang. Whatever works!

This isn’t really the time for something that takes brainpower, like decluttering. Angry Cleaning is most effective when you can focus on feelings over thoughts, so stick to mopping the floor extra hard. I’m generally a proponent of cleaning your home in small bursts, so tap into that thinking to bust through one annoying, laborious cleaning task while you’re good and pissed.

I’m not Angry Cleaning will fix whatever is bothering you, but it can help you let off some steam and will allow you to think a little more clearly afterward—and in a neater space to boot. Challenge yourself to work quietly on one task, see it through with no distractions, and reevaluate how you feel afterward. Think about what’s bothering you, or just focus on cleaning, but don’t take any steps to address what’s wrong until you’ve finished your project and given yourself a jolt of accomplishment. Your problems, and your to-do list, might both feel a bit more manageable afterward.

If you’re looking for the Wordle answer for September 6, 2024 read on. We’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Today’s puzzle is easier; I got it in four. Beware, there are spoilers below for September 6, Wordle #1,175! 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.)

They’re all letters from our mnemonic today.

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

You watch this on TV.

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

There is one repeated letter today. 

How many vowels are in today’s Wordle?

There are two vowels.

What letter does today’s Wordle start with?

Today’s word starts with R. 

What letter does today’s Wordle end with?

Today’s word ends with N. 

What is the solution to today’s Wordle?

Ready? Today’s word is RERUN.

How I solved today’s Wordle

I started with RAISE and TOUCH. Of the possibilities, RULED seemed like a good guess. That left RERUN as the best solution.

Wordle 1,175 4/6

🟩⬛⬛⬛🟨
⬛⬛🟨⬛⬛
🟩🟨⬛🟨⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle was easier. The hint was “to expand, like a gap” and the answer contained four common letters and one uncommon letters.

The answer to yesterday’s Wordle was WIDEN.

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.

You can get this 3-in-1 wireless travel charger on sale for $34.99 right now (reg. $59.99). It has a 2.5W wireless Apple Watch charger that works with all models, along with two built-in USB-C cables with 22.5W max output. You can use them all simultaneously with safety features like over-charging, short circuit, and over-discharging protection, and you can see the remaining battery life for your devices on its digital power display.

You can get this 3-in-1 wireless travel charger on sale for $34.99 right now (reg. $59.99), though prices can change at any time.