How to win at World 99% of the time

0:03 Hey there, I'm Johnny Mac with five good news stories. If Wordle has been giving you trouble, some researchers have an idea for you. Try math. A team at Binghamton University developed a strategy that solved 99% of Wordle puzzles and simulations. An approach built around common letters only solved 90%. The trick is to choose a word that helps you learn the most from those little colored squares. Assistant Professor Wu explains, Let's say you're at a certain guess. The previous guesses will eliminate a whole bunch of options, and based on the remaining options, guessing some words will send you into a trajectory where information gain is speedier. The team is using something called Shannon entropy, which measures uncertainty.

0:47 For Wordle, that means figuring out which guess could do the most to narrow your remaining choices. Doctoral student Donald explains, A subtle but important insight from the paper is that a guess doesn't have to be the most likely answer. It simply has to be informative. The objective shifts to maximizing the expected reduction in uncertainty rather than the probability of being right. The team explains, though, to use the method in real time, a player would need to run a script-slash-program on the side. The player would enter the color-coded feedback that the game provides, and the program would spit out the next best guess to attempt to find more information. Well, that's not fun. Elephants can apparently see a snack and resist the urge to grab it. Elephants are better than I am. If you put a plate of cookies in front of some elephants... They might be able to resist. Researchers tested Asian elephants at Thailand's National Elephant Institute to see whether they could overcome an impulse.

1:37 When another approach would work better, the scientists put fruit inside a clear box. The elephants could see the fruit, smell the fruit, but getting the fruit required using an opening on the side. The elephants had already been taught where the opening was, and they generally used it instead of trying to reach straight through the barrier. Then the researchers turned the box. At first, the elephants went for the spot where the opening used to be, but the elephants soon adjusted... and figured out how to get their snack. Older elephants took longer to make the adjustment. Professor Joshua says the more we understand about how elephants think, make decisions about risk, and adapt to human-driven environmental change, the better we can predict what they'll do next, and the better designed our strategies for human-elephant coexistence can be. Reese went into a church to get out of the cold, and a turn at the piano opened a new chapter in his life. He had spent a decade homeless and walked into St. Mary's Church... He was welcomed, and after speaking with volunteers, he asked if he could play their piano.

2:31 What did he play? Bohemian Rhapsody. Reese said, There's a lot of noise in my head, but when I play piano, my head goes quiet and I feel calm. A volunteer shared a video of all this on Facebook. People were asking, Who is this? Online, he became known as the Night Church Pianist. That led to an invitation at a charity event where he met stars including Ron Wood from the Rolling Stones. In the 30 months since that night at the church, Reese has raised about $ 54, 000 for charity. He told the news, I don't see myself as a professional pianist or a celebrity figure. I only need enough money to cover my expenses. I just love to play the piano to raise money for homeless charities and good causes. A stuffed bear named Rosie got left behind at a luxury hotel in Sicily. However, the hotel did the right thing.

3:14 Julia was staying with her mom at the Four Seasons. She brought Rosie the toy along. But Rosie got caught up in the bedding and accidentally stayed behind when they left. Julia's mother contacted the hotel, sent a picture, hoping somebody could figure it out. The staff found Rosie. They put together a little photo shoot showing the bear enjoying the pool, visiting the bar, and getting comfortable in the comfy bed. The hotel sent Rosie home, paid the shipping, and included a letter written as though Rosie was telling Julie about her extended stay. It reads, Dear My Special Friend, When we got separated at the beautiful San Domenico Palace, I was a little worried at first, but the kind people at the hotel took very good care of me while I waited for you. I had quite an adventure. I woke up to sunny mornings, relaxed by the pool, enjoyed delicious breakfast, and explored some of the lovely corners of the hotel. I even pretended I was a very important guest for a few days. P.S. The San Domenico Palace was lovely, but my favorite place in the whole world is right beside you. All right, good news. We found Outlaw the Mustang. Outlaw the Mustang had been loose for more than two months in Maryland. Outlaw the Mustang had escaped from his former owner's property in late June and kept showing up around Liberty Reservoir. Animal Control teamed up with the Gentle Giants Horse Rescue and horse expert J.R. Rorelson.

4:26 What a great name. They arranged some panels into a passage that Outlaw the Mustang would willingly enter, leading him straight into a waiting trailer. His next stop was a new home. He went to the Humane Society of Carroll County, which arranged for him to live with the Gentle Giants. Even better news, Outlaw the Mustang gets to keep the name Outlaw. And those are your five good news stories for today. If you would like the program without commercial interruption, use the Apple Podcast app. Click the banner. It says Uninterrupted Listening. They'll tell you what to do. Short version, five bucks a month, no commercials. Great way to support the show. And you have an awesome day.