Slate Mini Crossword for July 26, 2025 Kiran Pandey
Take a quick break with our daily 5×5 grid.
How Serious Is This Epstein Stuff for Teflon Trump? Here’s One Indicator. Ben Mathis-Lilley
You know the situation is bad when Democrats and Republicans can agree on something.
Bonus: Columbia’s Capitulation Starts a Disturbing New Chapter Mark Joseph Stern
This isn’t a “settlement.” It’s an extra-legal surrender.
There’s a Playbook for Authoritarianism. Trump Is Speed-Running It. Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern
Why a free pass undermines accountability.
Calico Critters Are Beefing Thanks To TikTok: SlyvanianDrama Goes Dark Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay
SylvanianDrama gained millions of followers for role-playing salacious narratives, but a copyright lawsuit has threatened the future of the account.
Netflix’s Dreamiest Show Comes to an End. It’s Worth One Final Look, Even With the Shadow Hanging Over It. J. Bryan Lowder
The Sandman’s final episodes are worth watching, even with the pall that Neil Gaiman cast over the series.
There’s a Tech Billionaire Pulling Trump’s Strings. No, It’s Not Elon Musk. Nitish Pahwa
With the Paramount-Skydance merger approved by the FCC, Larry Ellison just showed the world who is the real shot caller in the White House.
At 45, Venus Williams Is Back on Tour—and Winning. She’s Also Doing Something She Never Has. Josh Levin
Her first match back on the WTA Tour, after a 16-month hiatus, was something between a sporting event and a tent revival.
The Main Obstacle Keeping Congress From Getting Answers on Epstein Frank Bowman
The coils of the Epstein snare are tightening around Donald Trump, his lackeys in the Justice Department, and his desperate defenders in Congress.