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...

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Online services that promise to find people romantic matches have been likened to gambling products designed to keep customers hooked “Designed to be deleted” is the tagline of one of the UK’s most popular dating apps. Hinge promises that it is “the dating app for people who want to get off dating apps” – the place to find lasting love. But critics say modern dating is in crisis. They claim that dating apps, which have been downloaded hundreds of millions of times worldwide, are “exploitative” and are designed not to be deleted but to be addictive, to retain users in order to create revenue. Continue reading...

As Conservatives whine about the budget, the Covid corruption commissioner waits in the wings • You can order your own copy of this cartoon Continue reading...

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A French newspaper has revealed the whereabouts of world leaders with the use of the hugely popular running app. So is it time to stop it tracking your location? Name: Strava Age: Founded by former Harvard rowers Michael Horvath and Mark Gainey in 2009. Continue reading...

From baby names to wedding planning, fans of the 40-year-old spreadsheet program reveal how it has transformed their lives “I’m a boring man,” says Mike Elwin, an energy management consultant from Warrington. “My friends think it’s ridiculous how much I use Microsoft Excel. But it’s a dead handy tool.” Elwin, 56, has long used Excel to organise his life – from mapping finances, to plotting medical test results, to monitoring his household energy use. When his son was born in 2007, he made a spreadsheet for the feeding schedule. Continue reading...

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