Today's NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for June 17, #737

Team Liquid, one of the biggest names in esports, is teaming up with Zenni Optical to promote eye health among gamers. The deal makes Zenni the team’s official eyewear partner, suggesting we’ll see pros rocking their glasses—and maybe pushing better screen-time habits for fans.

Editor’s Note: Gamers spend hours staring at screens, so eye strain is a real issue. This partnership isn’t just about branding—it’s a nod to the growing focus on player health in esports. Plus, it could make blue-light glasses or ergonomic eyewear more mainstream in gaming circles.

If you've been eyeing a high-end robot vacuum but balked at the price, Dreame's L10s Ultra just became a lot more tempting—it’s currently slashed by more than 50%, making it one of the best deals out there for a vacuum-mop combo. This isn’t just a minor discount; it’s the lowest price ever for this model, which packs smart navigation, self-emptying, and mopping into one sleek package.

Editor’s Note: Robot vacuums are no longer just a luxury, but finding a premium one at this price is rare. For anyone tired of daily chores or looking to upgrade their smart home, this deal could be a game-changer—saving hundreds while getting top-tier features. It’s the kind of discount that makes you rethink waiting for Black Friday.

Elon Musk’s company, X (formerly Twitter), is taking New York state to court over a new law that forces social media platforms to publicly outline their policies for handling hate speech, extremism, and misinformation. X argues the law is unconstitutional, likely claiming it infringes on free speech or imposes unfair burdens.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just a legal spat—it’s a high-stakes clash over who gets to set the rules for online discourse. If X wins, it could weaken efforts to hold platforms accountable for toxic content. If New York prevails, other states might follow with similar transparency laws, putting more pressure on tech giants to clean up their act. Either way, the outcome could reshape how social media operates.

The Gardyn indoor hydroponic system promises to turn even the most plant-challenged folks into green-thumbed pros—thanks to AI that handles the tricky parts of growing. But there’s a catch: it’s pricey, and you’ll need to keep paying for seed pods and other extras to keep it running. Basically, it’s gardening on training wheels… if the training wheels came with a monthly fee.

Editor’s Note: Indoor gardening gadgets like Gardyn are part of a bigger trend—people want fresh, homegrown food without the hassle (or space) of traditional gardening. But the subscription model raises questions: Is convenience worth the cost? And how much "gardening" are you really doing if the AI does most of the work? Worth a look if you’re tech-savvy and hate wilted herbs, but maybe not for purists who love getting their hands dirty.

Meta is doubling down on AI by throwing serious cash at top talent, specifically investing in Scale AI and its young founder, Alexandr Wang. It’s part of a bigger trend where tech giants like Meta treat hot AI startups as talent pipelines—snapping up the brightest minds (or their companies) before they become competitors.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just about Meta—it’s a sign of how cutthroat the AI talent wars have gotten. Big tech isn’t just building in-house teams; they’re buying access to the best brains early, which could shape who dominates AI in the next decade. For startups, it’s a golden ticket or a potential dead end, depending on how you look at it.