Quordle today: Here are the answers and hints for August 16

Did you know we're now more than halfway through August? But if you're only halfway through today's Quordle, you still have two words left to decode before you can rest easy.

But stick with us, and we'll get you through it. You can jump to the bottom of the page for the full solution, or give our full strategy guide a breezy read-through, and maybe the answers will magically appear in your head. No pressure either way. We don't even know you, and we're not here to judge.

What is Quordle?

Quordle is a five-letter word guessing game similar to Wordle, except each guess applies letters to four words at the same time. You get nine guesses instead of six to correctly guess all four words. It looks like playing four Wordle games at the same time, and that is essentially what it is. But it's not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.

Is Quordle harder than Wordle?

Yes, though not diabolically so.

Where did Quordle come from?

Amid the Wordle boom of late 2021 and early 2022, when everyone was learning to love free, in-browser, once-a-day word guessing games, creator Freddie Meyer says he took inspiration from one of the first big Wordle variations, Dordle — the one where you essentially play two Wordles at once. He took things up a notch, and released Quordle on January 30(Opens in a new tab). Meyer's creation was covered in The Guardian(Opens in a new tab) six days later, and now, according to Meyer, it attracts millions of daily users. Today, Meyer earns modest revenue(Opens in a new tab) from Patreon, where dedicated Quordle fans can donate to keep their favorite puzzle game running. 

How is Quordle pronounced?

“Kwordle.” It should rhyme with “Wordle,” and definitely should not be pronounced exactly like "curdle.”

Is Quordle strategy different from Wordle?

Yes and no.

Your starting strategy should be the same as with Wordle. In fact, if you have a favorite Wordle opening word, there’s no reason to change that here. We suggest something rich in vowels, featuring common letters like C, R, and N. But you do you.

After your first guess, however, you’ll notice things getting out of control if you play Quordle exactly like Wordle.

What should I do in Quordle that I don’t do in Wordle?

Solving a Wordle puzzle can famously come down to a series of single letter-change variations. If you’ve narrowed it down to “-IGHT,” you could guess “MIGHT” “NIGHT” “LIGHT” and “SIGHT” and one of those will probably be the solution — though this is also a famous way to end up losing in Wordle, particularly if you play on “hard mode.” In Quordle, however, this sort of single-letter winnowing is a deadly trap, and it hints at the important strategic difference between Wordle and Quordle: In Quordle, you can't afford to waste guesses unless you're eliminating as many letters as possible at all times. 

Guessing a completely random word that you already know isn't the solution, just to eliminate three or four possible letters you haven’t tried yet, is thought of as a desperate, latch-ditch move in Wordle. In Quordle, however, it's a normal part of the player's strategic toolset.

Is there a way to get the answer faster?

In my experience Quordle can be a slow game, sometimes dragging out longer than it would take to play Wordle four times. But a sort of blunt-force guessing approach can speed things up. The following strategy also works with Wordle if you only want the solution, and don’t care about having the fewest possible guesses:

Try starting with a series of words that puts all the vowels (including Y) on the board, along with some other common letters. I’ve had good luck with the three words: “NOTES,” “ACRID,” and “LUMPY.” YouTuber DougMansLand(Opens in a new tab) suggests four words: “CANOE,” “SKIRT,” “PLUMB,” and “FUDGY.”

Most of the alphabet is now eliminated, and you’ll only have the ability to make one or two wrong guesses if you use this strategy. But in most cases you’ll have all the information you need to guess the remaining words without any wrong guesses.

If you've already run out of strategy, though, and you're still stumped, here are some hints:

A semi-useful hint about August 16’s puzzle

Synonyms for all four words are in the following sentence (in no particular order).

When I felt my hand grab the nectarine, my teenage depression started to melt away.

Are there any double or triple letters in today’s Quordle words?

One of the words has a letter that occurs twice.

Are any rare letters being used in today’s Quordle like Q or Z?

Yes. The last letter of the alphabet.

What do today’s Quordle words start with?

S, B, P, and A.

What are the answers for today’s Quordle?

Are you sure you want to know?

There’s still time to turn back.

OK you asked for it. The answers are:

1. SEIZE

2. BEGAN

3. PEACH

4. ANGST

17 Uber Pool stories that will make you never want to share your ride again

There's a good reason why plenty of users have sworn off riding Uber Pool — the people.

If you've ever needed a quick cab on a budget, you know how clutch Uber Pool can be. But pooling in a packed car with thrifty strangers can lead to some pretty unique circumstances and memorable stories. Whether it's the driver or the passengers, someone (or everyone) is bound to make your next Uber Pool ride unforgettable.

1. Elizabeth city

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2. Everyone deserves to get down

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3. Saving this excuse for a future emergency

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4. Where do these people come from?

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5. Unexpected Uber Eats

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6. Perfect time to cancel the night

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7. Next level creepy

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8. Rude. But also who hasn't thought it?

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9. When you thought you ordered an X but it's taking you nowhere fast

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10. There's no stranger vibe than the tension in a dead silent Uber

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11. So cryptic, why is it so important?

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12. Socializing is better in silence

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13. Gonna need to wipe down those seats

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14. Absolutely not. Downright unacceptable.

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15. Uber karma

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16. Pooling requires full aggro

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17. What are they seeing that we don't?

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Did Ryan Reynolds just join Tumblr to escape the Twitter dumpster fire?

Blake Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, quietly joined Tumblr on Tuesday with a Deadpool gif set about reblogging fanfiction. I first thought the move was an indication that celebs may be looking elsewhere for engagement as the future of Twitter grows more uncertain (Reynolds has 20 million followers on the platform). And I wasn't alone.

"You didn’t have $8?" quipped a reply to his first post. Another user wrote, "I hope that any real Twitter refugees figure out Tumblr culture before calling us 'new Twitter' and acting like this place functions like the shitty bird site."

Other Tumblr users were more welcoming... sort of. "Enjoy the hellsite," said one. "Honestly you might be the only celeb capable of surviving Tumblr without getting dunked on so hard you quit but also: at what cost?" read another user. "You're gonna raise our HOA fees around here."

But Reynold's Tumblr is likely not a desperate jump, just another example of his historically well-timed promotional marketing prowess.

Reynolds created his Tumblr a day after dropping the trailer for his newest movie, Spirited, an Apple TV film he stars in opposite Will Ferrell. This morning he posted a gif set from the movie, tagging it with a collection of related and random topics (#spirited #dickens #dinosaurs #shower thoughts #astronomy) just like a Tumblr native.

Since 2017, the actor and director has savvily promoted his multiple business ventures — films like Pokemon: Detective Pikachu and the Deadpool franchise as well as his Aviation Gin—with pithy clips and trailers posted on YouTube(Opens in a new tab) and Twitter. Tumblr was just the next frontier.

As of yesterday, when Reynolds posted an It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia gif doctored to include his own face, Tumblr users were on their way to being convinced that he belonged. "Been here 11 minutes and already shitposting," one applauded. "Outstanding." Another user sounded a little relieved. "I was worried the wolfs are gonna eat him up," they said, "Nope, his woods now."

Welcome to the fold, Reynolds.

Dream side hustles: 12 ideas for starting your own business

A side hustle offers a chance to have fun and indulge in a hobby or passion at the same time. This means that not only can you get a sense of fulfillment from your side hustle, but you can also make some extra money. All the sweeter, if you ask us. 

When it comes to starting a side hustle, consider how much time and energy you can realistically commit to your endeavor. Some people are comfortable with investing an hour or two a day into their business, while others might opt for a full-day commitment on the weekend. One of the most appealing aspects of starting your own business is that you can fit your working hours around your 9-to-5 and other obligations. 

With the above in mind, here are 12 ideas to get you started.

Dog walker

Difficulty level: Easy

What could be better than spending hours with man’s best friend?! Being a dog walker (or sitter) means you can spend time with plenty of furry friends, who are always up for exciting adventures. While you can set up your own dog-walking business, services like PetSitterPlus(Opens in a new tab) and Rover(Opens in a new tab) make it easy to turn a passion for pooches into a source of extra income. In fact, 500,000+ pet sitters and dog walkers have earned(Opens in a new tab) money caring for pets on Rover alone!

Create worksheets or templates

Difficulty level: Easy

Digital products like worksheets or templates let you offer a product faster than something like a full-scale online course, with less upfront investment. An individual worksheet or template might sell for as little as a few dollars, but you only have to create it one time and can enjoy passive revenue from sales month after month. Jen Regan(Opens in a new tab) left her full-time teaching job in 2017 thanks to the sizable income she nets from her side hustle selling curated classroom resources online. The real work when it comes to making bank off of worksheets and templates is promoting them. Sites like Etsy help simplify the process.

Start a blog

Difficulty level: Medium

Starting a blog about a topic you’re passionate about is a great way to meld work and profit. You won’t start making money right away, but with good SEO practices and a dedicated following, you can slowly turn this side hustle into a full-on business. Cristina Curp started her blog, Castaway Kitchen,(Opens in a new tab) to share her passion for food. In a few years she’s landed brand sponsorships, two cookbooks, and has created a consulting business. 

Create ASMR videos

Difficulty level: Hard

Creating stimulating videos that give people warm fuzzies is not only a noble profession (in our humble opinion) but it can also be pretty lucrative. Some ASMRtists earn upwards(Opens in a new tab) of $1,000 or more per month making YouTube content. This side hustle is challenging due to the technical skills required to create and publish content, but is well-suited for artsy or techy entrepreneurs. 

Stream on Twitch

Difficulty level: Easy

Start your own Twitch channel around a topic you’re passionate about, then build a community around it – no matter what you're into. (Most people use it to stream video game play). All you need to start streaming(Opens in a new tab) is a stable internet connection and a tool that can broadcast video to the internet. Twitch offers monetization options for Twitch Affiliates, and you can use off-platform donations, merch, and sponsorship deals to make money streaming(Opens in a new tab) on Twitch.

Sell your photography

Difficulty level: Medium

No matter what style of photos you shoot – from landscapes to headshots – you can license them through a photo-sharing website, or set up your own ecommerce store. You can also use your photography skills and a camera to earn a little extra dough by venturing into wedding photography, pet photography, or product photography. Los Angeles-based outdoor photographer Ryan Locknecker(Opens in a new tab) is just one photographer who offers photographs as prints on paper and canvas in a variety of sizes through his website. Additionally, you could hold flash print sales via social media or Etsy for further revenue streams.

Give tours of your neighborhood

Difficulty level: Medium

What better tour guide to have than a local who knows the neighborhood? If you live in a touristy destination, set up a local tour guide company as your new side hustle. You’ll get to explore your city and meet new people. To be successful, you’ll have to market heavily, build contacts, and provide outstanding service. Entrepreneur(Opens in a new tab) says tour guides can typically charge clients around $150 for half-day tours, and as much as $300 for full-day tours.

House sitter

Difficulty level: Easy

House-sitting is a pretty fun and low-stress way to make money, as long as you can find enough clients. As an added bonus, you could also save yourself some cash on rent or accommodations while traveling. Stephanie Perry at House Sitter School(Opens in a new tab) is one such professional house sitter exploring the world on a budget. Sites like Nomadr(Opens in a new tab) make it easy to connect with people in need of house-sitting services.

Calligrapher

Difficulty level: Easy

If you have nice penmanship and enjoy the art of the handwritten note, you can start a side hustle selling calligraphy services. You could also teach others your craft through online or in-person workshops. Amanda Reid(Opens in a new tab) started her business in 2020 after catching the calligraphy bug a few years earlier. Her first client was herself! (She made her own wedding signage.) She says(Opens in a new tab) that after about four years of practice, she decided to launch her own business doing what she loves.

Matchmaker

Difficulty level: Hard

If you have a large network and like throwing parties and connecting people, starting a matchmaking side hustle could be a fun opportunity. This is one side hustle that’s on the harder side, as you’ll need to know a lot of people well enough to spot and make a connection. In addition, you’re coordinating events like minglers, and dealing with big feelings, which can get messy. In spite of the challenges, Jasbina Ahluwalia(Opens in a new tab) left a career in law to start her matchmaking service Intersections Match(Opens in a new tab), blending aspects of traditional Indian matchmaking with modern-day approaches to pair progressive, successful singles.

Flip used items

Difficulty level: Medium

Odds are you’ve got a bunch of stuff laying around the house collecting dust. Turn those used items into cash by listing them on websites like Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, or eBay. You can also collect free or inexpensive items from online listings and sell them for a higher price. The challenge here is to take good listing photos, and manage pickups and deliveries. You’ll also need a keen eye for what’s a quality resale item and what’s simply junk. Some flippers are racking in six-figure salaries(Opens in a new tab) reselling items. 

Flower farmer

Difficulty level: Hard

While it might make for cute Instagram posts, selling flowers at a roadside stand is truly a labor of love. First you have to plan the garden and order the materials. Then you have to plant it. Lovingly care for your bulbs and seeds and you’ll be rewarded with fresh blooms to sell. You’ll need to carefully manage expenses, inventory levels, and payments to be successful – oh, and don’t forget about getting the word out about your venture. Even starting a small flower farm will likely take a few thousand dollars(Opens in a new tab) of investment. As if that isn’t enough, the quality of your product is at the mercy of Mother Nature – talk about stress! That said, cut flowers are one of the most profitable(Opens in a new tab) crops you can grow, so if it’s something you’re passionate about, dig in!

Twitter adds @SecondGentleman to official White House accounts

The first Second Gentleman in U.S. history has Logged On. Well, kinda.

Kamala Harris made history in the 2020 election by becoming the first woman vice president-elect, and as a result, her husband Douglas Emhoff made history, too.

Doug will become America's first Second Gentleman — a title so groundbreaking that it called for the creation of a brand new government Twitter handle: @SecondGentleman(Opens in a new tab).

On Thursday, @TwitterGov(Opens in a new tab) published a blog post(Opens in a new tab) titled "What to expect on Twitter on US Inauguration Day 2021" that explains the archival and transition process of government Twitter accounts such as @WhiteHouse(Opens in a new tab), @POTUS(Opens in a new tab), @VP(Opens in a new tab), @FLOTUS(Opens in a new tab), and @PressSec(Opens in a new tab). When Joe Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2021, those accounts will transition to members of the Biden/Harris team. But Twitter also shared that a new @SecondGentleman account was created for Emhoff to use for official business.

Emhoff currently has a personal Twitter account(Opens in a new tab) with more than 771,000 followers, and though his @SecondGentleman handle is now live he has yet to tweet from the account. We assume that first tweet will come on inauguration day, and will probably be another Proud Husband declaration.

At the time of writing this article the government account isn't following anyone and has nearly 325,000 followers. The bio reads "Future Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff. Devoted dad. Proud husband to Vice President-elect Harris," and links to Biden and Harris's informational site, buildbackbetter.gov(Opens in a new tab).

We look forward to seeing how Emhoff's Twitter personality translates to the @SecondGentleman account. Here's hoping for more future Doug and Jill Twitter exchanges.

Did you lose a pigeon dressed in a tiny bedazzled vest? Hes been found.

Hey, if you lost your bedazzled pigeon, he's safe and sound at a bird sanctuary in Arizona.

A young male pigeon, inexplicably dressed in a rhinestone-studded vest, was found in Glendale, Arizona on Nov. 10. He's been under the care of Fallen Feathers ever since.

"He's very friendly and fits on your finger," Fallen Feathers director Jody Kieran told AZ Central(opens in a new tab).

She posted a photo of the bird and his impossibly tiny get up on the sanctuary's Facebook page on Sunday.

"If you know the owner we have your friend here waiting," the post says.

A later post shows the little pigeon rocking his vest. Just putting it out there: This bird knows his angles.

Just look at how fashionable this pigeon is!

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If nobody claims him after a month, Kieran says the shelter will put him up for adoption. Although Fallen Feathers will do its best to "wild up" the bird so he can be released back into nature, Kieran believes this bird is accustomed to a certain well-dressed lifestyle. Apparently, he enjoys watching TV — particularly Westerns — with his human companions.

"They're really very tame and they're actually really smart," Kieran said. "This was a bird that was well loved."

Joe Biden mocks Bloombergs meme strategy and calls out his fake friendship with Obama

Joe Biden wants to make it clear: Former President Barack Obama is his pal.

A new video on Wednesday from Biden's campaign laid into billionaire Mike Bloomberg, who has somewhat shadily featured Obama in his campaign ads. While the spots haven't explicitly said Obama's endorsed the former NYC mayor, they can certainly imply that idea, with which Biden took issue.

The new spot from Biden calls out Bloomberg, running through a litany of cases in which Bloomberg slammed Obama. The video also mocks the now-infamous Bloomberg meme ads that featured fake Instagram DMs.

"I even blamed [Obama] for racism in America," reads one fake DM from Bloomberg, for instance, before a clip of the billionaire making the comments.

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The video from Biden's camp ends by showing clips of Bloomberg touting his friendship with President Donald Trump before a banner of text that reads: "Money can't rewrite history."

(The ad also ends with a kind of strange dubstep beat drop, but that's beside the point.)

Folks have begun to notice Bloomberg's strategy of cozying up to Obama, who remains a popular(Opens in a new tab) figure, especially among Democrats. The truth is: Obama hasn't endorsed any candidate and, if he were to back a 2020 Democrat during the primary, it's very unlikely it would Bloomberg, considering the two a relatively strained relationship.

"I keep encountering Dem voters who like Mike Bloomberg because he’s been endorsed by Barack Obama," tweeted Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "Fake news and the power of saturation TV ads."

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NBC News reported Bloomberg (Opens in a new tab)has spent $16 million thus far on a pair of ads that make it seem like Obama endorsed the billionaire Democratic candidate. One of the ads, for instance, shows the former president speaking with Bloomberg and suggests the two are working together.

Lots of folks who used to work for Obama have spoken out against the tactic, pointing out Bloomberg even refused to endorse Obama in '08.

"It's jarring to see all these Bloomberg ads that suggest Obama has endorsed him, especially considering how...perfunctory his endorsement of Obama was back in 2012," tweeted(Opens in a new tab) Tommy Vietor, a former national security spokesman in the Obama White House.

Bloomberg, for his part, was ready to fire back at Biden on Wednesday. His team tweeted out a video of Biden profusely complimenting Bloomberg over the years.

"As a senator, and as a vice president, he has always stood by the side of great men," the tweet read. "We are honored to have Joe’s support."

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Things are getting real petty, and on Wednesday night Bloomberg will take place in his first Democratic debate since he announced his campaign.

This is One Good Thing, a weekly column where we tell you about one of the few nice things that happened this week.

Bruno, the beloved and very ~thicc~ polydactyl cat, has officially been adopted. We can all breathe a sigh of relief.

The extremely high-maintenance feline captured the hearts of internet users everywhere after Wright Way Rescue Animal Shelter in Morton Grove, Illinois, shared his adoption listing on Facebook(opens in a new tab) on Aug. 15.

A week later, a Chicago couple decided to adopt him.

For those of you who need a refresher, Bruno's long list of quirky habits and super extra requests includes, but is not limited to:

• Laying around

• Sleeping at the end of his foster parents' bed

• Getting neck/face scratches

• Getting pet on ONLY the head and spine

• Talking a lot. Like, A LOT...

• Drinking water, but only in a room that doesn't contain his food

• Standing on hind legs

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Amazing, right? There's no denying Bruno, the seven-year-old, 25lb cat who's been with the shelter since April, is hella extra. But he knows that and completely owns it. That's why it's no surprise his adoption listing quickly went viral.

On Wednesday, a week after Wright Way Rescue Animal Shelter's call for adoption, Buzzfeed reported(opens in a new tab) that Bruno had finally found a loving home.

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A Chicago couple — Lauren Paris, 29, and her boyfriend, Jason Bartlett — officially adopted Bruno on Tuesday. They were one of 161 applications that came in.

"When I saw a photo of Bruno that had been shared on Facebook I just...freaked," Paris told BuzzFeed News. "It was this wild combination of an excited laugh/cry. And I felt this insane drive — I knew I would do whatever it took to be his forever home."

And because Bruno is such an extra cat, Paris made a truly extra plea to the shelter by performing a personalized song called, "Gimmie That Fat Cat."

A match made in heaven.

According to BuzzFeed, the song wasn't all Paris did to secure Bruno's adoption. She reportedly sent a letter of intent to the shelter, too, and recorded a video tour of her house to show Bruno would have a nice home. Now that's dedication.

To watch Bruno Bartlett's homecoming(opens in a new tab) and keep up with his wonderfully lazy life, be sure to follow him on Instagram(opens in a new tab). Gotta love a good real-world happy ending. :')