When human solvers battle artificial intelligence, who is able to think more cryptically, faster? And are some devious clues just too tough for software? The Times hosts an annual crossword-solving competition and it remains, until such time as the Guardian has its own version, the gold standard. This year’s competitors included a dog. Rather, an AI represented as a jolly coffee-drinking dog named Ross (a name hidden in “crossword”), and who is embedded on the Crossword Genius smartphone app. 1ac MP ousted by Liberal, absolutely without authority (9) 13d Radical overhaul of motorsport’s image (9) Continue reading...

Aside from reading First Dog on the Moon cartoons * Sign up here to get an email whenever First Dog cartoons are published * Get all your needs met at the First Dog shop if what you need is First Dog merchandise and prints Continue reading...

A sleep-saving knee pillow, a grater that makes dinners healthier, and a hairdryer that saves time: these products have changed daily routines for the better Have you ever bought something small that changed your everyday life for the better? It could be a product that helped you sleep more soundly, eat more healthily, or save money at the salon? Something that, for a minimal outlay, made a significant difference. We asked our team about the things that improved their lives, no matter how small. From a reading light to a hairdryer, a pair of walking shoes to tweezers, their answers inspired us – and we hope they inspire you, too. Continue reading...

Offline Club’s first global event on Sunday will begin with tips on how to be phone-free for 24 hours every week Haunted by a pile of unread books? Or taunted by climbing equipment lurking in the cupboard? If you are one of the UK adults who spends on average five hours a day looking at screens rather than participating in pastimes, perhaps it’s time to join the offline revolution. Instead of spending those five hours staring at a screen, you could read about 300 pages of a book, climb Mount Snowdon, or – depending on your pace – run a marathon. Some are even choosing to turn off their devices for the day. Continue reading...

Paulomi Debnath has shared a kiss with her husband every morning for 18 years. Ron Hill ran every day for more than 52 years. When does an enjoyable habit become a compulsion? Anyone who spotted the run Tom Vickery uploaded to exercise tracking app Strava on 18 February last year might have been a little confused. The 30-minute sprint appeared to have taken place right in the middle of the Channel, not far from Guernsey and heading towards the west coast of France. The run was also, curiously, a ruler-straight line, appearing on Vickery’s public profile as an unbending, inch-long streak of orange in the blue swathe of the app’s virtual sea. Oh, and it was at a world record-breaking pace. Of course, anyone who knows Vickery wouldn’t have been surprised at all. The 38-year-old triathlon coach from Cambridge was on a two-day ferry trip to Bilbao for a holiday and this rather speedy jog was simply another run on his then nearly four-year daily running streak on Strava. Determined not to break his streak on board the ship, Vickery had risen at 5am to run up and down the deck for his allotted 30 minutes, and the boat’s progress through the water meant he appeared to be running faster than any long-distance runner in the world. Continue reading...

A new exhibition showcases British hobbies, the Rotterdam Architectural Biennial and a South Asian London city map Both mending and hobby crafts get the respect they deserve in this month’s design news. Check our stories to see where these fine activities get treated as art. We also look at the history of Casio watches and a new future for the Apple Watch. Sign up for the Design Review newsletter to receive more stories like this about architecture, sustainability and craft each month. Continue reading...