Month: June 2024
Copa America 2024 Soccer: Livestream Mexico vs. Ecuador From Anywhere
It’s do-or-die for El Tri at State Farm Stadium.
It’s do-or-die for El Tri at State Farm Stadium.
Caching Is Key, and SIEVE Is Better Than LRU
USENIX, the long-running OS/networking research group, also publishes a magazine called ;login:. Today the magazine’s editor — security consultant Rik Farrow — stopped by Slashdot to share some new research. rikfarrow writes:
Caching means using faster memory to store frequently requested data, and the most commonly used algorithm for determining which items to discard when the cache is full is Least Recently Used [or “LRU”]. These researchers have come up with a more efficient and scalable method that uses just a few lines of code to convert LRU to SIEVE.
Just like a sieve, it sifts through objects (using a pointer called a “hand”) to “filter out unpopular objects and retain the popular ones,” with popularity based on a single bit that tracks whether a cached object has been visited:
As the “hand” moves from the tail (the oldest object) to the head (the newest object), objects that have not been visited are evicted… During the subsequent rounds of sifting, if objects that survived previous rounds remain popular, they will stay in the cache. In such a case, since most old objects are not evicted, the eviction hand quickly moves past the old popular objects to the queue positions close to the head. This allows newly inserted objects to be quickly assessed and evicted, putting greater eviction pressure on unpopular items (such as “one-hit wonders”) than LRU-based eviction algorithms.
It’s an example of “lazy promotion and quick demotion”. Popular objects get retained with minimal effort, with quick demotion “critical because most objects are not reused before eviction.”
After 1559 traces (of 247,017 million requests to 14,852 million objects), they found SIEVE reduces the miss ratio (when needed data isn’t in the cache) by more than 42% on 10% of the traces with a mean of 21%, when compared to FIFO. (And it was also faster and more scalable than LRU.)
“SIEVE not only achieves better efficiency, higher throughput, and better scalability, but it is also very simple.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
USENIX, the long-running OS/networking research group, also publishes a magazine called ;login:. Today the magazine’s editor — security consultant Rik Farrow — stopped by Slashdot to share some new research. rikfarrow writes:
Caching means using faster memory to store frequently requested data, and the most commonly used algorithm for determining which items to discard when the cache is full is Least Recently Used [or “LRU”]. These researchers have come up with a more efficient and scalable method that uses just a few lines of code to convert LRU to SIEVE.
Just like a sieve, it sifts through objects (using a pointer called a “hand”) to “filter out unpopular objects and retain the popular ones,” with popularity based on a single bit that tracks whether a cached object has been visited:
As the “hand” moves from the tail (the oldest object) to the head (the newest object), objects that have not been visited are evicted… During the subsequent rounds of sifting, if objects that survived previous rounds remain popular, they will stay in the cache. In such a case, since most old objects are not evicted, the eviction hand quickly moves past the old popular objects to the queue positions close to the head. This allows newly inserted objects to be quickly assessed and evicted, putting greater eviction pressure on unpopular items (such as “one-hit wonders”) than LRU-based eviction algorithms.
It’s an example of “lazy promotion and quick demotion”. Popular objects get retained with minimal effort, with quick demotion “critical because most objects are not reused before eviction.”
After 1559 traces (of 247,017 million requests to 14,852 million objects), they found SIEVE reduces the miss ratio (when needed data isn’t in the cache) by more than 42% on 10% of the traces with a mean of 21%, when compared to FIFO. (And it was also faster and more scalable than LRU.)
“SIEVE not only achieves better efficiency, higher throughput, and better scalability, but it is also very simple.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Quordle today – hints and answers for Monday, July 1 (game #889)
Looking for Quordle clues? We can help. Plus get the answers to Quordle today and past solutions.
This could be a tricky Quordle to start the month – and the Daily Sequence version is even harder. Read on if you need some hints.
Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
Quordle today (game #889) – hint #1 – Vowels
How many different vowels are in Quordle today?
• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.
* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).
Quordle today (game #889) – hint #2 – repeated letters
Do any of today’s Quordle answers contain repeated letters?
• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.
Quordle today (game #889) – hint #3 – uncommon letters
Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?
• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today’s Quordle answers.
Quordle today (game #889) – hint #4 – starting letters (1)
Do any of today’s Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?
• The number of today’s Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.
If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you’re not ready yet then here’s one more clue to make things a lot easier:
Quordle today (game #889) – hint #5 – starting letters (2)
What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with?
• I
• L
• M
• S
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #889) – the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today’s Quordle, game #889, are…
INCURMINTYLIMITSYNOD
I tried a new approach today, suggested to me a while ago by a reader: use two start words rather than three, in order to give myself a chance of solving Quordle in six guesses, rather than the seven that my three-start-word strategy would allow at best.
But which words to use? I decided to go with TRAIN and CLOSE: between them they used four of the vowels, leaving out the less common U, plus the six most common consonants. Most were also in their most common positions, although S was a notable failure on that front.
Anyway, it worked well enough, in that I solved what may have been a fairly tough Quordle, but then again I needed seven guesses – so there was no advantage over my standard approach. I’ll give it another few tries before deciding whether to stick with it or not.
Finally, a nod to the Daily Sequence, which served up a quartet of horrible words today. Well done if you solved that one.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Daily Sequence today (game #889) – the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today’s Quordle Daily Sequence, game #889, are…
NADIRKNACKMADAMCACAO
Quordle answers: The past 20
Quordle #888, Sunday 30 June: ALIBI, HYENA, NERVE, KNOWNQuordle #887, Saturday 29 June: BASIL, PLAID, REMIT, SHEIKQuordle #886, Friday 28 June: SCENE, PRIMO, MOGUL, OPIUMQuordle #885, Thursday 27 June: MAXIM, DOWNY, ROUSE, ATOLLQuordle #884, Wednesday 26 June: NORTH, LEVER, SERUM, SLATEQuordle #883, Tuesday 25 June: APPLY, FUNKY, SWORE, TWEAKQuordle #882, Monday 24 June: ANGER, SILKY, HURRY, ANODEQuordle #881, Sunday 23 June: SPIED, DIZZY, ABUSE, POPPYQuordle #880, Saturday 22 June: GROIN, STOVE, SHRUB, HARSHQuordle #879, Friday 21 June: INDEX, CLUED, ORBIT, LOSERQuordle #878, Thursday 20 June: DELVE, BEZEL, MAMMA, AZUREQuordle #877, Wednesday 19 June: CELLO, PRIVY, HUMOR, PAPERQuordle #876, Tuesday 18 June: ABYSS, OCTET, BEEFY, PUPALQuordle #875, Monday 17 June: AWAIT, SHADY, SWEET, DRAPEQuordle #874, Sunday 16 June: URBAN, MOIST, SPOOL, BELIEQuordle #873, Saturday 15 June: LOGIC, SOOTY, WAGON, BRIDEQuordle #872, Friday 14 June: MERIT, RASPY, THOSE, WATERQuordle #871, Thursday 13 June: NORTH, MOUND, PEACE, RETRYQuordle #870, Wednesday 12 June: QUILT, PARTY, SPARK, SINCEQuordle #869, Tuesday 11 June: CLANK, GONER, LIEGE, TIARA
NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Monday, July 1 (game #386)
Looking for NYT Connections answers and hints? Here’s all you need to know to solve today’s game, plus my commentary on the puzzles.
It’s the start of a new month, but the same old Connections, now more than one year into its run and firmly established as a word game behemoth. This one isn’t too tricky, but there are some hints below if you need them.
What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #386) – today’s words
(Image credit: New York Times)
Today’s NYT Connections words are…
PYRAMIDPRINCEBRITISHSEALSTINGWASHINGTONNOVAUSHERNORTHWESTRACKETLEADEAGLECONDIRECTHUSTLEGUIDE
NYT Connections today (game #386) – hint #1 – group hints
What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?
Yellow: Tell you where to goGreen: Don’t fall for itBlue: Examine the contents of your walletPurple: Beginning of the names of some northern areas
Need more clues?
We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today’s NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #386) – hint #2 – group answers
What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: SHOW THE WAYGREEN: SCHEMEBLUE: SEEN ON A U.S. DOLLAR BILLPURPLE: FIRST WORDS OF CANADIAN PROVINCES/TERRITORIES
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #386) – the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today’s Connections, game #386, are…
YELLOW: SHOW THE WAY DIRECT, GUIDE, LEAD, USHERGREEN: SCHEME CON, HUSTLE, RACKET, STINGBLUE: SEEN ON A U.S. DOLLAR BILL EAGLE, PYRAMID, SEAL, WASHINGTONPURPLE: FIRST WORDS OF CANADIAN PROVINCES/TERRITORIES BRITISH, NORTHWEST, NOVA, PRINCE
My rating: EasyMy score: 1 mistake
I made one error here, but on reflection this isn’t too bad as Connections puzzles go. My mistake was around what I thought was single-name musicians: STING, USHER, PRINCE, SEAL. However, all four actually belonged in different groups, so that was some (probably deliberate) misdirection by the NYT.
I ultimately solved the four groups in difficulty order, with DIRECT, GUIDE, LEAD and USHER the first answer I got, followed by the green ‘SCHEME’ connection. With the two more difficult groups left, I focused on the US DOLLAR BILL angle, because I could see three of them: EAGLE, WASHINGTON and PYRAMID. I couldn’t come up with a fourth, though, until I stopped thinking so logically and realized that SEAL wasn’t referring to the cute mammal. D’oh!
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 30 June, game #385)
YELLOW: OLD SAYING ADAGE, CHESTNUT, MAXIM, SAWGREEN: GRILL FUEL SOURCES CHARCOAL, ELECTRIC, GAS, WOODBLUE: TREES ASH, CHERRY, EBONY, GUMPURPLE: HOT TUB COMPONENTS FILTER, HEATER, JET, PUMP
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don’t technically need to solve the final one, as you’ll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What’s more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It’s a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It’s playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Monday, July 1 (game #120)
Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here’s all you need to know to solve today’s game, including the spangram.
You’re never too far from a mistake in Strands, but fortunately the game is quite forgiving; it’s very hard to lose in the way you can in Connections or Wordle. The challenge is in solving it without using a hint – but it was a challenge I failed today. If you need help, read on.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #120) – hint #1 – today’s theme
What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?
• Today’s NYT Strands theme is… We’ve got the beat
NYT Strands today (game #120) – hint #2 – clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
CLAMBOOTTINTANGLEANGLERTILE
NYT Strands today (game #120) – hint #3 – spangram
What is a hint for today’s spangram?
• Hit me!
NYT Strands today (game #120) – hint #4 – spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?
• First: top, 3rd column
• Last: bottom, 3rd column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #120) – the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today’s Strands, game #120, are…
GONGDRUMTRIANGLERATTLECYMBALTAMBOURINESPANGRAM: PERCUSSION
My rating: EasyMy score: 1 hint
Is this really easy? I made one mistake, but with hindsight I feel like I shouldn’t have done, and that I was merely too impatient. Here’s what happened: I looked at the theme clue and immediately thought ‘Oh, it’ll be something to do with drumming’. So I looked for a few – SNARE? No. TOMTOM? No. BASS? No. KICK? No. The problem was, I thinking drums, not percussion. So I used my hint, got GONG, realized my mistake then knocked the others off one by one without any major issues.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Sunday 30 June, game #119)
SAPPHIREEMERALDTOPAZGARNETAMETHYSTSPANGRAM: JEWELTONES
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT’s new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day.
Uber and Lyft now required to pay Massachusetts rideshare drivers $32 an hour
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