Slate Mini Crossword for Oct. 4, 2025 Nate Cardin
Take a quick break with our daily 5×5 grid.
At 88 Years Old, One of Our Greatest Authors Is Having a Moment Laura Miller
America’s No. 1 movie was inspired by one of his decades-old novels—and now he’s got a new one.
Democrats’ Shutdown Strategy Might Actually Work Out Jim Newell
Trump blames Democrats for the shutdown. The public, for now, blames Trump.
Saudi Arabia Is Coming For The Sims Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay
Is this the beginning of the end of The Sims? <img src="https://compote.slate.com/images/0ac0a3f0-03d4-4b4c-8fc1-69e718800c65.jpeg?crop=1560%2C1040%2Cx0%2Cy0" title="Saudi Arabia Is Coming For The Sims” />
SCOTUS Is About To Make Trump’s Dreams Come True Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern
From voting rights to trans rights, presidential powers and beyond, the new Supreme Court term is a win-win for the court’s conservatives, and Trump.
The Most Brutal Movie of the Fall Has Headbutting, Bloody Hands, and Painkillers Galore. Is Any of It True? Ellin Stein
The film covers a sport so violent John McCain once called it “human cockfighting.”
Netflix Has Survived Boycotts Before. But It Hasn’t Seen One Like This. Nitish Pahwa
We’ve seen this movie already—and it always flops.
Taylor Swift Is On Top of the World. Why Is She Still Punching Down? Sam Adams
The singer’s most instantly infamous new song finds her taking shots at another pop star. It’s a miss.