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Defector

Maitreyi Anantharaman

MAY 21: Kahleah Copper #2 of the Phoenix Mercury celebrates during the game against the Las Vegas Aces on May 21, 2024 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

WNBA

The Small Mercury Are Big Fun

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever looks on during the game against the New York Liberty on May 16, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

On The Caitlin Clark Beat, Everyone’s Plotting

Alysha Clark (L) #7 and Kelsey Plum #10 of the Las Vegas Aces react after receiving their 2023 WNBA championship rings before the team's home opener against the Phoenix Mercury on May 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aces defeated the Mercury 89-80.

The Aces Are Also A Superteam At Being Investigated

Magnus Carlsen (NOR),Sanan Sjugirov (RUS) during the FIDE Chess World Rapid Blitz 2021 in Warsaw, Poland, on December 29, 2021.

Crosswords

The Crossword, May 20: Refresher Course

Kelsey McKinney

Giri Nathan

David Roth

Patrick Redford

A photographer of author James Baldwin smoking a cigarette.

Defector Reads A Book

Come And Sit By ‘The Fire Next Time’ With Defector Reads A Book

Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas (25) fast breaks during a WNBA game between Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun on May 14, 2024, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

The Connecticut Sun Are The Coldest Welcome To The League

Caitlin Clark #22, Erica Wheeler #17, and Assistant Coach Jessie Miller of the Indiana Fever look on before the game against the Dallas Wings

A 2024 WNBA Season Preview For Casuals And Gatekeepers Alike

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever dribbles the ball during the game against the Dallas Wings during the WNBA Preseason Game on May 3, 2024 at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

The Crossword, May 13: Tossed Salad And Scrambled Eggs

Arturs Silovs #31 of the Vancouver Canucks celebrate after defeating the Nashville Predators in Game Six to win the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena on May 03, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Legend Of “Silvos” Is Only Beginning

German-Kurdish opera singer-soprano Pervin Chakar performs during a concert.

The Crossword, May 6: Cinderella Tails

Jackson Holliday #7 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during batting practice prior to a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 12, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Here’s How The White Sox Can Still Lose 100 Games, But In An Interesting Way

Candace Parker #3 of the Los Angeles Sparks reacts after receiving her fourth foul against the Minnesota Lynx during the second quarter of Game One of the WNBA finals at Williams Arena on September 24, 2017 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Candace Parker Remade The Game In Her Image

Runner participates during the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon on November 05, 2023 in New York City.

The Crossword, April 29: The 1,203 Club (Themeless)

Ottawa Forward Daryl Watts (9) celebrates her goal with Forward Brianne Jenner (19) during second period Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) action between Toronto and Ottawa on March 23, 2024, at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, ON, Canada.

PWHL

Ottawa Is Finding Itself

Fans tailgate prior to the game between the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on November 19, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois.

The Crossword, April 22: Shake, Shake, Shake

Mason Miller #19 of the Oakland Athletics delivers a pitch against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on April 06, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan.

Mason Miller Is Keeping The A’s Interesting

Cathy Engelbert and the draftees pose for a photo during the 2024 WNBA Draft on April 14, 2024 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York.

Caitlin Clark And The Two-Way Street

Duke Blue Devils forward Zion Williamson (1) goes for the dunk during the 2nd half of the Duke Blue Devils game versus the Hartford Hawks on December 5th, 2018, at Cameron Indoor Stadium

The Crossword, April 15: Different Strokes

Kevin Borseth slams down piece of paper at a 2008 postgame press conference

College Basketball

As He Heads Out, Let’s Remember Kevin Borseth’s Remarkable Entrance

Simone Biles from the USA in action on the balance beam.

The Crossword, April 8: Start Your Engines

Kamilla Cardoso #10 of the South Carolina Gamecocks and Sydney Affolter #3 of the Iowa Hawkeyes jump for a rebound during the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four National Championship game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 7, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.

South Carolina Is A Perpetual Machine

Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel (18) bats during the Los Angeles Angels versus the Baltimore Orioles game on March 28, 2024, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD.

Major League Baseball EMBROILED In Fussy And Arcane Scoring Scandal

Paige Bueckers #5 of the Connecticut Huskies and JuJu Watkins #12 of the USC Trojans looks on during the second half in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on April 01, 2024 in Portland, Oregon.

See The Subject Beyond The Frame

Kauffman Stadium is the home of the Kansas City Royals and beyond it is GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium which is the home of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Capital

The Chiefs And Royals Got What They Deserved

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets reacts to referee Josh Tiven #58 in the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on March 19, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.