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Millions of us got into Wordle over the last few years and while there have been many clones of that game, other developers went in a slightly different direction and found success, as The New York Times did with the excellent Connections. Another game that has been doing the rounds for a couple of months has a new home, as The Atlantic becomes the latest publisher to get in on the daily puzzle trend. Starting Tuesday, you can play Bracket City on the magazine's website. Ben Gross, an independent game designer who created the game, will continue to work on it alongside The Atlantic's director of games, Caleb Madison. The aim of Bracket City is to solve a nested series of clues to reveal a fact about that given day in history. You have to solve the clues in order, but if you figure out an answer at a higher level, you can use that to work your way backwards and help you get to the solution. There's a tutorial to help you get started. The Atlantic Tuesday's fact of the day is 10 words long, while Monday's was only six words, but revealing each meant solving 17 clues first. The clues include cryptic hints, fill-in-the-blank idioms and general knowledge teasers. Clicking on a hint will reveal the first letter of its answer. There's also a hard mode in which you don't have to press enter to submit a guess but "every keystroke counts." You'll earn a city-based rank depending on how well you did, such as Commuter or Mayor, while completing a puzzle perfectly will see you earn the title of Kingmaker. Every previous edition of the game is available in a free archive, which you can access by clicking on the date. I've only been playing Bracket City for half an hour but I'm already obsessed. It tickles my brain in a similar way to Connections. It's less about guessing letters to find the right word and more about general knowledge and wordplay. Bracket City is already a winner in my book, and it's an instant addition to my rotation of once-a-day puzzle games.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/bracket-city-could-be-your-latest-word-game-obsession-151405964.html?src=rss
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Sega just announced that Sonic Rumble will be available on May 8. It was supposed to come out last winter, but will finally see the light of day next month. Its being described as a "multiplayer action game" and it really reminds me of Mediatonics Fall Guys, which even offers a mode that stars the speedy hedgehog. To that end, Sonic Rumble can accommodate 32 players at once. Its a battle royale-style title that has players race around worlds inspired by the franchise. The last one standing at the end wins. You know the drill. This being a Sonic game, there are rings to collect. These can be used to purchase new skins and stickers. Sega specifically mentioned a Sonic skin from the recent Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie, which is neat. The company also promises "key gameplay enhancements designed to add depth and strategic layers to every round." Each player gets a customizable set of skills, with multiple slots per character. Theres also a newly-announced co-op mechanic that brings players together to "strategize and overcome obstacles as a unit." Theres a spot of bad news here for console players. Sonic Rumble will only be available for iOS, Android and PC via Steam.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-fall-guys-esque-sonic-rumble-comes-out-on-may-8-145632617.html?src=rss
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A new report from Reuters has shed light on how Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is employing tech in its processes, including the alleged use of artificial intelligence to monitor communications. The initiative is said to be keeping an eye out for chatter that's considered hostile toward Musk or President Donald Trump. Some managers at the Environmental Protection Agency have reportedly been told that DOGE is deploying AI to monitor communication apps and software such as the widely used Microsoft Teams for anti-Musk or anti-Trump sentiment. It's said that DOGE is watching out for individuals whose work didn't square with the administration's agenda. One manager reportedly told EPA staffers to Be careful what you say, what you type and what you do." The EPA didn't explicitly state whether AI was being used to monitor employees for signs of disloyalty, though it told Reuters that it was "looking at AI to better optimize agency functions and administrative efficiencies." It added that it wasn't using AI "as it makes personnel decisions in concert with DOGE." The EPA has placed nearly 600 workers on leave and pledged to cut its budget by 65 percent amid DOGE's government-wide cost-slashing efforts. Meanwhile, it's said that DOGE staffers are using Signal to communicate with each other. This could be a violation of federal record-keeping rules given the app's ability to automatically delete messages after a certain period of time. And that's not to mention the security risks of accidentally inviting, say, a journalist to a top-secret chat about government operations. Some DOGE workers are also said to be using Google Docs to edit official documents collaboratively, in effect bypassing usual vetting procedures and chains of custody. In addition, staffers are reportedly making use of Musk's chatbot Grok AI in their work, but exactly what they're doing with it remains unclear. It emerged this week that the White House wants federal agencies to make full use of "American AI." DOGE has been accused of operating under a shroud of secrecy. The administration has contended that since DOGE is operating under the Executive Office of the President, it's not obligated to allow the public to request access to its records, which would be the case if it were an official government agency. Nevertheless, a federal judge last month ordered DOGE to start providing records of its operations to the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, which sued for access to such documents under freedom of information laws. The watchdog told Reuters that, as of Monday, it had received no records from DOGE.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/doge-is-reportedly-using-ai-to-monitor-government-comms-for-anti-musk-and-anti-trump-chatter-141411751.html?src=rss
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