Looking For Local Rising Stars

The Roam SodaTop bottle can carbonate water in seconds and will cost just $50 when it launches this year.

Chicago drivers know: Traffic congestion around the area is frustrating. Roads are so snarled that the city once again ranked among the worst in the nation for the severity of traffic in 2024. Drivers lost an average of 102 hours to traffic last year, putting the Chicago metro area on par with New York City — and for Chicago, 2024 traffic was even worse than the 96 hours the average driver lost to traffic the year before, according to a new report from mobility analytics firm Inrix. Trips into downtown Chicago picked up last year by 13%, Inrix found, which could signal good economic news for the city center.

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 6.

Here are some hints — and the answers — for the Jan. 6 Strands puzzle, No. 309.

Donut Lab's second-generation hubless EV motor packs big performance and low weight into an unconventional shape.

Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections: Sports Edition No. 105 for Jan. 6.