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Crossword Blog & Answers for May 18, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Heard You Loud and Clear (Freestyle)
Constructors: Amie Walker & Amanda Rafkin

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

SEA (8D: Land vs. ___ (board game)) In the board game Land vs. SEA, one player plays as Land, and the other plays as SEA (thus the game’s name). Land and SEA work together to create a map, using the game’s two-sided tiles, each with the goal of creating more areas of their type.

PHD (51D: Degree held by Dominiqua M. Griffin) Dominiqua M. Griffin has a PHD in Counselor Education and Supervision and Comparative and International Education from Pennsylvania State University. She has worked at the National Institutes of Health and as a policy strategist for the federal government. Dr. Dominiqua M. Griffin is the founder and CEO of Black Women PHDs, a network for “current and future Black Women with doctoral degrees.” I’m always happy to learn about a woman with a PHD.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

SOAR (1A: Emulate Captain Marvel) Captain Marvel aka Carol Danvers (portrayed by Brie Larson in a 2019 movie) is a Marvel comics superhero who has the ability of flight. This is a clever way to clue the word SOAR.

PLAN (9A: Put together an itinerary) Speaking of superpowers, I sometimes joke that the ability to PLAN and put together itineraries is one of my superpowers. I do enjoy having a solid PLAN.

ATHLEISURE (13A: Flextime wear?) The question mark at the end of this clue alerts the solver there is some tricky wordplay happening. This clue is not referencing clothing for working a job that allows flextime (flexible hours). Instead the clue is pointing to ATHLEISURE – clothing for times when you might be being flexible in other ways, such as exercising.

LILO (15A: Stitch’s human buddy) This clue is a reference to the main characters in the LILO & Stitch franchise, who first appeared as the title characters in a 2002 animated movie. LILO is a six-year-old human girl who lives in Hawaii. Stitch is an illegally-made extraterrestrial animal-like creature who is called Experiment 626 until it is adopted by LILO and renamed.

CHESNEY (22A: “How Forever Feels” singer Kenny) “How Forever Feels” is a 1998 song by Kenny CHESNEY. The song was a number one country hit as well as reaching the Top 40 on the pop chart.

LILAC (28A: Title purple flower in a Nancy Drew mystery) This is a fun clue because it would also work simply as [Purple flower], but the Nancy Drew angle adds interest. The Mystery at LILAC Inn is the fourth book in the Nancy Drew mystery series. It was originally published in 1930. I credit Nancy Drew with sparking my lifelong interest in mystery novels, so am always delighted to see her mentioned in the puzzle.

DON’T EAT ME (29A: What a cartoon mouse might say to a cartoon cat) This clue made me laugh! My cat, Willow, has not encountered any mice that I know of – cartoon or real – but I did notice the other day that she was having a conversation with the cat figurine on my desk. This cat figure has a solar cell that causes its tail to wag. It was a very silly present from my husband.

WET KISSES (36A: Slobbery “gifts” from cats or dogs) I imagine this answer made many pet owners smile. It also brings to my mind the Peanuts character Lucy saying, “Ugh, I’ve been kissed by a dog! I have dog germs…”

WREN (44A: Cactus ___ (Arizona’s state bird) The cactus WREN lives in the desert regions of the southwestern United States and northern and central Mexico. The cactus WREN earned its name because it frequently builds its nests in cactus plants, such as the saguaro and cholla. (I wrote about the cholla cactus earlier this month and mentioned the cactus WREN at the time.) The cactus WREN has been the state bird of Arizona since 1931.

EVIL (52A: Really bad) and UBER MENSCH (53A: Real good dude) I enjoyed the “really bad” / “real good” contrast of these two consecutive clues.

PILL (55A: “Jagged Little ___” (Alanis Morissette album)) Jagged Little PILL is Alanis Morissette’s third studio album, released in 1995. The album won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. The album also inspired a jukebox musical of the same name, which premiered in 2018 and won two Tony Awards.

ALONE (11D: Like WALL-E, for 700 years) Aww, when you put it like that it makes me sad. WALL-E is a 2008 animated movie featuring a titular robot left ALONE on a future, uninhabitable Earth to clean up garbage.

A’JA (13D: WNBA star Wilson) A’JA Wilson is a basketball player with WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. In 2022 and 2023, the Las Vegas Aces won the WNBA Championship. In 2023, A’JA Wilson was named the WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player. A’JA Wilson was also part of the USA Teams that won gold medals at the 2020 (held in 2021) and 2024 Summer Olympics .

IN IT (14D: “We found Wonderland, you and I got lost ___”) and ERAS (32D: Swift’s “1989” and “Lover,” for two) Here we have, not just one, but two Taylor Swift clues. “We found Wonderland, you and I got lost IN IT” is a lyric from Taylor Swift’s 2015 song “Wonderland,” which was part of her 1989 ERA.

HAT (23D: “Does anyone still wear a ___? I’ll drink to that!”) “Does anyone still wear a HAT? I’ll drink to that?” is a line from the song “The Ladies Who Lunch,” which appears in the Stephen Sondheim musical Company. I was fortunate enough to see Patti LuPone perform this song on Broadway in 2022.

WORDS (44D: This clue is composed of six) I am a fan of self-referential clues, and this one made me smile (and had me counting WORDS).

RUMI (45D: Bestselling Persian poet) RUMI (1207-1273) was a 13th-century Persian poet. Rumi’s poems have been widely translated, and remain popular, even more than 700 years after his death.

A few other clues I especially enjoyed:

HYENA (20A: Ensemble role in “The Lion King” musical)

STALE (24A: Like old jokes and old bread)

ALOUD (47A: How books are usually read at story time)

HERE’S THE DEAL (20D: “I’m about to lay it out for you…”)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR (Freestyle): There’s no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless puzzle. The title is a nod to READ RECEIPTS (4D: They let people know you’ve seen their messages).

There’s OH SO (2D: Very) much fun fill in this puzzle, that I had a difficult time deciding what to highlight. There was nothing that made me say UGH (53D: “So sick of this”) or that warranted TSKS (49D: “smh” sounds). Thank you, Amie and Amanda, for this delightful puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
May 18, 2025
Who is Alex Fine? Meet Cassie’s husband

Alex Fine fell into the arms of his wife, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura Fine.

The personal trainer ran 50 miles from Compton to Malibu, California in August 2019 – a trek that raised more than $55,000 to help domestic abuse survivors at a Pontiac, Michigan shelter.

Fine said he did so out of gratitude for the shelter that had once helped his mom, Pam Parker Fine.

“They were kind enough to provide help and support to my mama and I’m giving back by running an Ultra Marathon (50 miles) in honor to raise awareness for Domestic Violence Victims,” he wrote in a GoFundMe post.

Fine, 32, captioned a clip of himself hugging his wife, 38, after the run. “Just the person I needed with me the whole time. Wow I am so lucky to be able to hug her after this. She makes me better in every way.”

“Cassie” Ventura Fine’s testimony this week in the Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking trial gave her husband’s video new meaning, as Alex Fine spoke publicly of his admiration for his wife in overcoming what she alleged was sexual abuse and assault at the hands of her ex-boyfriend.

Combs did not “break” the singer despite years of humiliating treatment and abuse, Alex Fine said through the family’s lawyer Douglas Wigdor. He said he felt “tremendous pride and overwhelming love for Cass” and “profound anger that she has been subjected to sitting in front of a person who tried to break her.”

“You did not. You did not break her spirit nor her smile that lights up every room,” Fine said. “You did not break the souls of a mother who gives the best hugs and plays the silliest games with our little girls. You did not break the woman who has made me a better man.”

Cassie shares horrifying abuse details. In her story, survivors see themselves.

Alex Fine met Cassie at the gym. Then, they fell in love

After splitting from Combs in the fall of 2018, Ventura Fine debuted her new relationship on Instagram with a snap of her kissing the celebrity fitness trainer alongside a photo of her and Fine with her mom Regina Ventura. During Ventura Fine’s testimony, it was confirmed that Combs hired Fine to train his now-wife.

The Fines later tied the knot in a Malibu backyard wedding ceremony in October 2019. In photos shared by Vogue, a visibly pregnant Ventura Fine wore an off-the-shoulder sleeveless gown as Fine held her hand.

‘A demon himself’: Cassie, husband Alex Fine speak out after Diddy trial testimony

That December, the couple welcomed their first daughter Frankie, now 5. In March 2021, they welcomed 4-year-old Sunny. On the witness stand, Ventura Fine said she considered taking her own life in recent years but was stopped by Fine, who she also said punched a wall after learning Combs allegedly raped her.

She recalled a time when she went home to her husband, “I remember telling him, ‘You can do this without me.’” Ventura Fine said during testimony that it all just felt “too painful” and that “I tried walking out the door into traffic and my husband wouldn’t let me.”

‘Death would be considered a kindness,’ Fine says of abusers

Three days before filing an explosive November 2023 civil lawsuit in New York aimed at Combs alleging sexual and physical abuse, Ventura Fine shared a photo carousel of herself with a simple caption: “Casandra Fine.”

Last May, after a CNN surveillance video surfaced of Combs kicking, hitting and dragging Ventura Fine at a now-closed Los Angeles luxury hotel in 2016 surfaced, Fine wrote a message to domestic violence survivors: “To all the survivors, find the men and women who help and love. To all the survivors, your stories are real, and people believe you.”

Diddy trial: Cassie testifies on Sean Combs’ 2012 overdose on painkillers

“To the abusers, you’re done, you’re not safe anymore, you’re not protected anymore, the men by your side are just as weak, you’re so miserable with yourself that death would be considered a kindness.”

In March, the Fines stepped out for date night at the London premiere of his Paramount+ show “MobLand.” In recent years, he has pursued acting projects including a role as Grady in “Yellowstone” spinoff “1883.”

Then, this May came as Combs stands trial on federal sex-crimes charges. For four days, he attended court as his wife delivered emotional and explosive testimony.

Before the jury entered the courtroom May 13, Combs’ defense team attempted to prevent Fine from being present for his wife’s witness testimony. One of the ex-mogul’s lawyers Teny Geragos said they may call Fine as a witness. Ultimately, he was let inside the courtroom for support.

Alex Fine said Cassie ‘did the work of fighting the demons’ — not him

On May 16, after his wife’s testimony reached the finish line, Fine’s statement was read by their lawyer Wigdor outside the Manhattan federal courthouse.

Fine said that “Cassie saved Cassie,” noting that “I did not save Cassie, as some have said.” On the stand, she “did the work of fighting the demons that only a demon himself could have done,” Fine said.

Diddy trial: Biggest moments from Week 1 including Cassie’s emotional testimony

In February, the Fines announced that they are expecting a third child — a boy.

“We appreciate all of the love and support we have received, and we ask that you respect our privacy as we welcome our son into a world that is now safer because of his mom,” Fine said.

Contributing: Patrick Ryan, Aysha Bagchi

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental and/or substance use disorders, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration‘s free and confidential treatment referral and information service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). It’s available 24/7 in English and Spanish (TTY: 1-800-487-4889).

May 18, 2025
‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ spoilers: Tony Todd exit explained

Spoiler alert! We’re discussing the ending of “Final Destination Bloodlines” (in theaters now). Stop reading now if you haven’t seen it yet and don’t want to know.

“Final Destination Bloodlines” might be the series’ first film to make fans cry.

The new entry in the long-running horror franchise serves as a swan song for Tony Todd, the beloved “Candyman” star who died last November at age 69. Todd has played mysterious mortician William Bludworth going back to the original 2000 “Final Destination” and he posthumously returns one last time in “Bloodlines” to provide advice about cheating death.

But in a poignant final scene, Todd’s character reveals he’s sick and is retiring in order to make the most of his remaining days before death comes for him. “Life is precious,” he says, adding that it’s essential to enjoy every moment because you never know when you’re going to die.

The words take on an emotional second meaning after Todd’s death, playing like a farewell message from the actor himself, and that’s not by accident. Directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein were aware that Todd was ill while working on the film and crafted the scene as a way for him to say goodbye.

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“Everyone knew going in, this was going to be his last ‘Final Destination’ movie, and potentially his last movie ever,” Lipovsky says. “We had a lot of conversations about how to do that in a way that felt like a really beautiful goodbye to such an icon, and give him the opportunity, in some ways, to say goodbye to the audience as well.”

For Bludworth’s moving last words, the directors encouraged Todd to ignore what was on the page and voice his own thoughts about the meaning of life and death.

Tony Todd dies: The ‘Candyman,’ ‘Final Destination’ star was 69

“We asked Tony to put aside the script and just speak from the heart about what all this is about,” Stein says. “What is life about? What is death about? What do you want the fans to come away with when they watch ‘Final Destination’? And the take that’s in the film is him speaking from the heart, speaking right to the fans.”

Though he was “physically weak,” Todd was “incredibly excited to participate” in the film and insisted on being included, Stein recalls. “He was like, ‘Do not write me out of this movie!’ “

Who is William Bludworth in ‘Final Destination’? Is he the Grim Reaper?

Todd’s scene also finally answers the “Final Destination” series’ biggest lingering mystery: Who, exactly, is Bludworth, and how does he know so much about death?

After years of fan theories − including a popular one that he is death himself − the film reveals Bludworth is an expert on the subject because he cheated death himself decades ago. As a kid, Bludworth was saved when Iris (Brec Bassinger/Gabrielle Rose), Stefani’s (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) grandmother, prevented a tower collapse. Ever since, he has been marked for death, much like all the characters he has advised in the previous movies. But because Iris was in line to die before him, as long as she stayed alive, Bludworth would be safe.

Todd was “really excited” to explain Bludworth’s origin “in a way that made him more of a whole person, rather than just being a mysterious mentor figure,” Stein says.

In earlier films, Bludworth has dispensed advice to teens marked for death. “Bloodlines” suggests these encounters were an opportunity for Bludworth to test his theories about cheating death, because the same thing was happening to him.

“He probably was gathering intelligence,” Stein explains, noting that the guide to cheating death that Iris gives her granddaughter is something she and Bludworth built together. “They shared details about all the deaths that happened in the previous movies as research for how to avoid death.”

Despite Todd’s poor health, Stein remembers the star being “incredibly joyful” on set and getting a kick out of meeting the actors who played his younger self and his character’s mom. “He’s like, ‘I get to meet my mama!’ ” the director recalls.

Lipovsky hopes Todd’s farewell will be cathartic for fans still mourning the loss of a horror icon.

“Anyone who’s been feeling grief around the loss of him as an artist will feel, potentially, some closure and some connection with him in that moment, because it was really him bringing it to the screen.”

Is ‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ the last movie in the series?

The death of every major character at the end of a movie would typically preclude a sequel, but not in “Final Destination.”

Though Stefani, her mother and her brother are all killed at the end of “Bloodlines,” assuming the film performs well at the box office, it’s safe to expect a seventh movie will happen, likely with another entirely new cast.

But there is one loose end the next film could follow up on: Bludworth confirms Kimberly Corman (A.J. Cook), the visionary from “Final Destination 2,” successfully cheated death, opening up the possibility of her return for a future sequel − possibly even to succeed Bludworth as mentor to the next group of doomed teens.

May 18, 2025
‘Murderbot Diaries’ series order, plus what the sci-fi is about
A beloved sci-fi android is getting a new face and voice on the screen, and it belongs to none other than Alexander Skarsgård.
Skarsgård voices the witty, sardonic security robot in the new Apple TV+ series “Murderbot,” based on Martha Wells’ cult classic “Murderbot Diaries” series. The cast also includes David Dastmalchian, Noma Dumezweni, Clark Gregg and Jack McBrayer. The series debuted with rave reviews, garnering a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Before you watch, here’s everything to know about the books behind the fan favorite story.

What is ‘Murderbot’ about?

“The Murderbot Diaries” is one robot’s quest for meaning. Set in a corporate space odyssey, a team of scientists conducts their work while shadowed by an android “SecUnit.” Unbeknownst to the humans, the robot has hacked its own module and refers to itself as “MurderBot,” yearning to be left alone to watch TV instead of fighting alien monsters.

‘Murderbot Diaries’ order: All books in series

Wells’ series includes seven novellas and novels and two short stories about the self-hacking robot. Here’s the order in which they were published:

“All Systems Red” (novella, 2017)

“Artificial Condition” (novella, 2018)

“Rogue Protocol” (novella, 2018)

“Exit Strategy” (novella, 2018)

“Compulsory” (online short story, 2018)

“Network Effect” (novel, 2021)

“Home” (short story, 2021)

“Fugitive Telemetry” (novella, 2021)

“System Collapse” (novel, 2023)

She also published short story “Obsolescence” in a collaborative short story collection in 2020. While “Obsolescence” doesn’t take place during the main plot of “Murderbot,” it is set in the same world and takes place centuries before “All Systems Red.”

Most readers recommend reading in order of publication. But if you want to read “Murderbot Diaries” chronologically, follow this order, which starts with the prequel short story “Compulsory”:

“Compulsory”

“All Systems Red”

“Artificial Condition”

“Rogue Protocol”

“Exit Strategy”

“Home”

“Network Effect”

“Fugitive Telemetry”

“System Collapse”

Where can I watch the ‘Murderbot Diaries’ series?

“Murderbot” is available to stream on Apple TV+ starting May 16. New episodes will release every Friday through July 11.

Love ‘The Last of Us’?: Try these 8 post-apocalyptic, zombie books

Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY’s Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you’re reading at [email protected].
May 18, 2025
Pedro Pascal is back! See Joel and Ellie in next ‘The Last of Us’
Spoiler alert! The following story contains details about Season 2 of HBO’s “The Last of Us” (now streaming).
“The Last of Us” fans can expect another dose of heartbreak, nostalgia and their favorite father-daughter duo in this week’s episode.

The penultimate episode of HBO’s apocalypse drama series will see the return of Pedro Pascal in a flashback story that takes place before Joel Miller’s tragic and brutal death in Episode 2.

The end of last week’s episode hinted at a return to the past, showcasing events that take place between the first and second season. HBO shared images from the episode, promising viewers that they’ll see Joel and Ellie together on their TV screens this weekend.

“Would you like to go to space?” the show’s official X account wrote with a picture of Pascal as Joel holding a cassette tape teasing what’s to come.

Here’s how to watch the last episode before the season finale.

When does the next episode of ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 come out?

The next episode of “The Last of Us” Season 2 will drop on Sunday, May 18 at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET on HBO and its streaming service Max, soon to be HBO Max (again).

When is ‘The Last of Us’ finale?

The Season 2 finale of “The Last of Us” will release on Sunday, May 25.

How many ‘The Last of Us’ episodes are left?

Season 2 of “The Last of Us” contains seven episodes, with only two left.

Episode 6: Sunday, May 18

Episode 7 (season finale): Sunday, May 25

How to watch ‘The Last of Us’

New episodes of “The Last of Us” will air on HBO and be available to stream weekly on Sundays at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET on Max. Season 1 of the series is also available to stream on Max.

Max subscription plans begin at $9.99 a month with ads, while ad-free subscriptions cost $16.99 a month.

The highest tier, which is $20.99 a month, includes the ability to stream on four devices and offers 4K Ultra HD video quality and 100 downloads. HBO also offers bundles with Hulu and Disney+.

Watch ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 with Sling + Max

‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 cast

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey returned to reprise their leading roles as Joel and Ellie in “The Last of Us” Season 2. The remaining Season 2 cast also includes the following:

Gabriel Luna as Tommy Miller

Rutina Wesley as Maria Miller

Catherine O’Hara as Gail

Kaitlyn Dever as Abby Anderson

Isabela Merced as Dina

Young Mazino as Jesse

Ezra Benedict Agbonkhese as Benjamin

Tati Gabrielle as Nora

Ariela Barer as Mel

Spencer Lord as Owen

Jeffrey Wright as Isaac

Danny Ramirez as Manny

Watch the ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 trailer

Will there be a ‘The Last of Us’ Season 3?

Yes. Ahead of Season 2’s premiere, HBO announced “The Last of Us” would be returning for a third season.

However, it is unclear if Season 3 will be the show’s final season. Deadline reported that co-creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin said they were previously contemplating making up to four seasons.

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May 18, 2025
Cassie Ventura, pregnant, shows strength in Diddy trial

Editor’s note: This story contains graphic descriptions and video that some readers may find disturbing.

Casandra Ventura Fine is eight months pregnant.

She sits at the front of a courtroom sharing how an escort once urinated in her mouth in front of boyfriend Sean “Diddy” Combs because he told her he wanted to watch. Sometimes Combs also participated to the point of choking.

She shares how she got into an inflatable pool filled with baby oil because he requested it. “If Sean wanted it to happen, that was what was going to happen, there was no way around it,” she says under oath.

She recounts this while Combs sits a few feet away next to his lawyers. He holds a Bible at some points, staring at her.

She doesn’t look at him. This is the first time in six years they have seen each other.

“I felt trapped,” she says at one point.

In four days of testimony and cross examination for music mogul Combs’ racketeering and sex trafficking case, Ventura Fine testifies about being punched, kicked and dragged by Combs; dayslong “freak offs” where she was drugged and had sex with other men or women for Combs to watch, or with Combs; being too drugged to remember many details. She also talks about how much she loved Combs and sent him loving and seductive texts, which she has to read to the jury.

Diddy trial: Cassie outlines sexual, physical abuse from the stand

Ex-girlfriend of Sean Combs, Cassie, was on the stand for the third day of the trial, describing Combs’ physical, sexual and psychological abuse.

Diddy on Trial newsletter: Step inside the courtroom with USA TODAY as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces sex crimes and trafficking charges. Subscribe to the newsletter.

Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied all allegations against him. His defense paints their relationship as consensual, that she was in control and they were “swingers.” They do concede that Combs abused Ventura and was violent.

The glimpses in this trial of Ventura Fine’s life, known professionally as Cassie, come mostly from a security tape and descriptions of “freak offs” where photos and still frames from videos are shown to the jury. The rest of her life is filled in with moments captured on red carpets or at exclusive parties, or tidbits shared in celebrity magazines. We see her through the distorted sketches from the court room where no cameras are allowed.

The life that Cassie shares in the court room, in a matter of fact way, is her past.

Ventura Fine is now 38, expecting her third child with husband Alex Fine. On different days of her testimony, she is dressed in a brown turtleneck dress, a gray dress that could be described as “work wear” and a black suit with a dress shirt untucked over her pregnant belly. She is no longer addicted to opioids. She has been to therapy and rehab. Her Instagram feed is full of photos of her husband and two kids.

She is sitting in room 26a on the 26th floor of the Southern District of New York courthouse in Manhattan.

For some past victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence, part of Ventura Fine’s story feels familiar.

And it’s a story of hope.

When Diddy, Cassie met – and where their relationship led

The woman on the stand was one year out of high school, a private college preparatory school on the Connecticut coast, when she met Combs. He was 36. She had moved to New York to take her modeling from a department store and Seventeen magazine to something bigger.

He would sign her to Bad Boy Records, the label he co-owned, two years later when she was 20. It was a 10-album contract, which would tie her to Combs both artistically and financially for years.

And they would begin dating the next year when she was the face of his clothing line Sean John.

Combs and Ventura Fine’s relationship would last 11 years and take them from movie premieres to the exclusive Met Gala, and from hotel rooms in New York and Miami to federal court.

Her first hit, “Me & U,” would be one of the biggest singles of 2006 and stay on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for 27 weeks. She would record hundreds more songs under Combs, but only one more just barely hit the charts at No. 97. Her job, she would say, became participating in “freak offs” – not music.

In the court, Ventura Fine listened to the most humiliating parts of her past shared to eight men and four women on the jury, as well as a gallery of journalists, lawyers and family members of both Combs and Ventura Fine. Next door, a packed overflow room of additional journalists listened via a live feed.

Jurors watch videos and text messages on screens. They lean to look closer. Privacy screens ensure no one else can see because the judge sealed the sexually explicit evidence of the freak offs.

Reporters take notes on paper, dash out at breaks and call into editors on-stand by who type them into news stories which are broadcast and published across the world.

“Cassie says Diddy threatened to release freak off video,” publishes TMZ. “Diddy Allegedly Made Sex Worker Do Shocking Act in Cassie’s Mouth During ‘Freak Off’: ‘Felt Like She Was Choking,’” People magazine writes.

Her last Instagram post, over a month ago, shows her in a black dress and is captioned, “mastering peace.” Her feed is full of happy photos with her two girls, Frankie 5, and Sunny, 4. She is smiling with her husband.

Alex Fine, 32, sits in the gallery and watches his wife, occasionally looking at Combs.

Cassie Ventura testimony proves power of leaving abuse

The reach of domestic violence is not always measured in assaults, but in the years of abuse. In the depths of abuse, it can become normalized and it can feel impossible to see a way out. Most women try to leave seven times before they can, and they are at the highest risk for danger when they do.

Ventura Fine describes how hard it was to leave.

Combs’ attorneys, instead, said she wanted to stay in the relationship, that Combs lied and cheated on her and let her down, but “you kept coming back to him for 11 years.”

“I wouldn’t use ‘coming back,’” she replied.

Prosecutors release 2016 hotel video of Sean Combs assaulting Cassie

Prosecutors have released the hotel surveillance video from 2016 showing Sean Combs physically assaulting then-girlfriend Cassie. This is the full video, edited to include the five camera angles presented in court.

One of the times she tried to leave, there is video evidence of what happened.

Ventura Fine testified that before she left their room at the now-shuttered InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, she was participating in a freak off that turned violent. The video shows Combs punching, kicking and dragging Ventura Fine in the hotel hallway. CNN first released the video in May of last year after Combs’ associates tried to pay a security guard $100,000 to keep it hidden. Prosecutors released the full version of the 2016 surveillance video during court this week, and jurors watched it several times.

Ventura Fine broke up with Combs in 2018, and she started dating her now husband. One night that year she had dinner with Combs. He drove her home, she said, and raped her.

“I remember crying and saying no, but it was very fast,” she testified. The two, she said, would have sex once after that, consensually.

By spring of 2019, she was pregnant, and she and Fine debated having the baby first or getting married, she shared to Vogue. He surprised her with a proposal.

They were married one month later in a black tie backyard celebration in Malibu, with 14 guests, according to Vogue magazine, which featured the wedding and a story that left Combs out of it. She wore a billowy white off-the-shoulder dress that accommodated her growing baby bump and they ended the night with a heart-shaped pizza.

Their baby girl was born four months later.

Ventura Fine shared a birthday post for her husband in March 2021 that gave a glimpse into their life.

“Since I’ve met you it’s been nonstop laughter and love. You’ve helped teach me not to take myself too seriously and just enjoy the moment and for that I am forever grateful,” she wrote on Instagram. “I promise to always kiss my lip gloss on you and make you laugh. Thank you for making me a Mama and being the best Dada. I can’t believe we’re about to do it again!”

She would tell the court that two years later, in 2023, she “was spinning out.” Ventura Fine testified, “I didn’t want to be alive anymore at that point.”

She recalled a time while she filmed a music video with another artist that she had “horrible flashbacks” and triggers, and when she went home to her husband and children, “I remember telling him, ‘You can do this without me.’”

Ventura Fine said it all just felt “too painful” and that “I tried walking out the door into traffic and my husband wouldn’t let me.”

Later that year, in her civil suit against Combs, she would say that “she credits her children with saving her from the trauma that had consumed over a decade of her life.” Combs would settle the next day for $20 million.

She went to rehab for trauma therapy and addiction in 2024.

There will be likely six more weeks of witnesses testimony. In that time, Cassie will have her third child.

So why is she here today, prosecutors asked her this week.

“I can’t carry this anymore. I cannot carry the shame, the guilt,” she said when asked why she was testifying. She said she was guided to treat people “like they were disposable.”

She says she had hundreds of “freak offs” with Combs.

She was asked how many since?

None, she said.

Outside the courthouse after her last day of testimony, her lawyer shared a statement from her.

“I hope that my testimony has given strength and a voice to other survivors, and can help others who have suffered to speak up and also heal from the abuse and fear.”

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental and/or substance use disorders, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration‘s free and confidential treatment referral and information service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). It’s available 24/7 in English and Spanish (TTY: 1-800-487-4889).

If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) andHotline.RAINN.org and en EspañolRAINN.org/es.

Contributing: Aysha Bagchi and Patrick Ryan

May 18, 2025
Crossword Blog & Answers for May 17, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Closing Number
Constructor: Jem Burch

Editor: Jared Goudsmit

What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle

ISUZU (30A: MU-X automaker) The ISUZU MU-X is a mid-size SUV (sport utility vehicle). The MU-X stands for “multi utility extreme.”

LASERS (3D: Beams in the board game Khet) Khet is a strategy board game for two players. As in chess, players move their pieces around a board and attempt to eliminate their opponent’s pieces. Some of the pieces have embedded mirrors. Two low-powered LASERS, one for each player, are built into a frame around the game board. After each move, a player presses a button to light up their LASER. Pieces hit by a LASER are eliminated from the game.

IRISH (9D: Sinead Burke’s nationality) Sinead Burke is an IRISH writer and an advocate for inclusion for all. In 2020, she founded the consulting company Tilting the Lens, which works with companies to create an accessible and equitable world. Although I learned about Sinead Burke today (and am happy to learn about her!), I was able to make an educated guess at this answer, as Sinead is an IRISH name.

DANA (57D: “Craig of the Creek” voice actress Davis) Craig of the Creek is an animated TV series that originally aired from 2018 to January 2025. The show is about the adventures of a boy named Craig and his friends, Kelsey and J.P. Many of the adventures take place in the titular creek. DANA Davis voices several of the show’s characters: Prinda, Kit, Big Red, and Scoot.

Random Thoughts & Interesting Things

BILL (1A: Measure in the House) The key to figuring out this clue is noticing that the word “House” starts with a capital letter. This tells solvers the word is not referring to just any house, but the U.S. House of Representatives, which considers BILLs.

SHO (5A: “Yellowjackets” channel, for short) Showtime (SHO, for short) describes their TV series, Yellowjackets, as “part survival epic, part psychological horror, and part coming-of-age drama.” The show tells the story of a high school girls’ soccer team whose plane crashes in the wilderness. The show recounts the time of survival after the crash, as well as events that occur 25 years later. The show’s third season premiered earlier this year.

ESPN (28A: ___8: The Ocho (sports program block that’s aired the Teqball World Series)) I learned about ESPN8 The Ocho from the April 19 puzzle. ESPN8 The Ocho airs a variety of sports that are lesser-known and unconventional. Teqball is a sport that combines elements of football and table tennis.

ST LOUIS CARDINAL (39A: MLB player such as Yadier Molina) This clue and answer made me so happy! I am definitely on a roll; this is the third day and a row I have immediately known an answer to a sports-related clue. All three clues have been about baseball, which is definitely the sport I know the most about. My dad was a ST. LOUIS CARDINALs fan, and my mom still watches every ST. LOUIS CARDINALs game she can. Thanks to my parents, then, I know that Yadier Molina was a catcher for the ST. LOUIS CARDINALs from 2004-2022. Yadier Molina was a great catcher, and won nine Gold Glove Awards during his career. Currently Yadier Molina is a manager of the Águilas Cibaeñas, a baseball team in the Dominican Republic’s Professional Baseball League.

ERUPTS (43A: Goes off like Cotopaxi) Cotopaxi is an active volcano in the Andes Mountains, located in Ecuador. Cotopaxi is known to have erupted 87 times.

LIU (53A: “Presence” actress Lucy) Presence is a supernatural thriller movie that premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Lucy LIU portrays Rebekah Payne, the mother of a family who are moving into a new house. The movie is presented through the view of an unseen Presence that occupies the house.

SOAP (67A: Melodramatic TV series) When I first read this clue, I thought it was referring to a specific melodramatic TV series. Eventually I figured out that the answer is the more general SOAP, as in SOAP opera, a genre of TV shows that are definitely characterized by melodrama.

ELLE (68A: “A Complete Unknown” actress Fanning) A Complete Unknown is A 2024 biographical musical film about Bob Dylan. The movie is loosely based on Elijah Wald’s 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric. Timothée Chalamet portrays Bob Dylan, and ELLE Fanning portrays Sylvie Russo, a character based on Suze Rotolo, who was Bob Dylan’s girlfriend from 1961 to 1964.

STATE (5D: Chihuahua or Colorado) Chihuahua is one of Mexico’s 31 STATEs. It is located in northern Mexico and borders the U.S. STATEs of New Mexico and Texas. Colorado is one of the 50 STATEs in the U.S.

SLOW (12D: “Killing me ___, out the window / I’m always waiting for you to be waiting below”) “Killing me SLOW, out the window / I’m always waiting for you to be waiting below” is a lyric from Taylor Swift’s song, “Cruel Summer.”

KEANU (15D: Actor Reeves who looks sad in a meme) Sad KEANU is a Meme based on a paparazzi photo of Keanu Reeves sitting on a bench eating a sandwich.

IN-N-OUT (21D: Burger chain with a Not So Secret Menu) IN-N-OUT Burger is a regional chain of restaurants started in California in 1948. IN-N-OUT has a “Not So Secret Menu” which is not found on their menus, but is available on their website. The Not So Secret Menu includes various ways to order a burger, such as Animal Style, Protein Style, or with Double Meat.

SOCAL (31D: WeHo’s region) WeHo here is West Hollywood, a city in Southern California, or SOCAL.

USA (33D: LA and L.A.’s country) This is a fun clue. LA is the abbreviation for the state of Louisiana, and L.A. is the abbreviation for Los Angeles, a city in SOCAL. Both LA and L.A. are, of course, in the USA. Periods make a difference in the meaning of these abbreviations.

LUNA MOTH (41D: Pale-green insect with moonlike spots) The LUNA MOTH is one of the largest moth species in North America, with a wingspan ranging from 4.5 to 7 inches. The word “moonlike” in the clue is a hint to the answer, as LUNA is the Latin word for moon. The moonlike spots of a LUNA MOTH are referred to as eyespots.

AARON (52D: Baseball great Hank) More baseball content! Hank AARON (1934-2021) began his MLB career with the Milwaukee Braves in 1954, following the team to Atlanta in 1966. He played with the Atlanta Braves until 1974, and ended his MLB career playing for the Milwaukee Brewers. Hank AARON was selected as an MLB All-Star 25 times, and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. He holds the MLB record for career runs batted in (2,297). Hank AARON held the Major League Baseball record for career home runs for 33 years. Hank AARON was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.

A few other clues I especially enjoyed:

ERR (24A: Dip your paintbrush in your coffee, say)

AD SLOGAN (42D: “Red Bull Gives You Wiiings,” e.g.)

INSPO (54D: Creative fuel, for short)

Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis

KEEP IT REAL (20A: Be authentic)

ST LOUIS CARDINAL (39A: MLB player such as Yadier Molina)

AMAZON PRIME (59A: Subscription service that includes video streaming)

CLOSING NUMBER: The word at the end (i.e. CLOSING) of each theme answer is a type of NUMBER: REAL NUMBER, CARDINAL NUMBER, and PRIME NUMBER.

Today’s puzzle is giving us a dose of math with our word puzzle. A REAL NUMBER is one that can be represented on a number line, in contrast to an imaginary NUMBER. A CARDINAL NUMBER is one that denotes quantity (like “one” and “two” but not “first” and “second”). A PRIME NUMBER is any NUMBER greater than one that can only be formed by multiplying one and itself. We saw a similarly titled puzzle, “Closing Numbers,” last year. That puzzle had a different approach to this theme; it’s always fun to see how a theme can be done in different ways. Congratulations to Jem Burch on a USA Today crossword debut! Thank you, Jem, for this enjoyable puzzle.

For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
May 18, 2025
How fellow sharks said farewell

Mark Cuban has said an emotional farewell to “Shark Tank” after 15 seasons on ABC’s reality show.

The entrepreneur and onetime majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, 66, gave a special toast to fellow sharks and fans in his final episode May 16 (now streaming on Hulu).

“I’ve learned so much from all of you,” Cuban said to Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John and Kevin O’Leary. “And to ‘Shark Tank,’ The people who supported us, to the people who love us. I love you guys like family.”

Cuban has cited family reasons for leaving the show he helped elevate to international cultural prominence and five Emmy Awards.

Mark Cuban is leaving ‘Shark Tank’ His worst TV investment ever

What did the other sharks say to Mark Cuban on final ‘Shark Tank’?

Each of the sharks had a chance to toast Cuban, who became emotional listening to Corcoran, (the shark Cuban admires the most).

“Mark, having you leave is really like having a big brother leave the house,” Corcoran said.

“He continues to change the world, and I love you, man,” said John.

Cuban replied, “I love you, too.”

O’Leary, known ironically as “Mr. Wonderful,” had the last toast. The two have battled onscreen over the years. O’Leary did not give Cuban all the credit.

“I’m so proud of what we’ve all built together,” said O’Leary. “We have become ambassadors of the American Dream around the world. So much of it is because of you.” (He got there in the end).

“Of course, we don’t always agree,” O’Leary added. “And sometimes you learned a lot from me.”

The comment brought hearty guffaws. But Cuban got revenge when telling USA TODAY about O’Reilly: “Kevin may be confused about business often, but he has a big heart and does care about his entrepreneurs,” he said via email.

Why was Cuban so good on ‘Shark Tank’

Cuban was not only the most famous name on “Shark Tank,” but also one of the most outrageous. “I had an edge,” he said in a highlights clip that aired during the episode.

But most importantly, Cuban wore his heart on his jacket sleeves for fellow entrepreneurs coming onto the show. “I’ve been in their shoes, I’ve been broke, I’ve been sleeping on the floor,” he said.

May 17, 2025
Watch: Mark Cuban gets emotional toast in 'Shark Tank' final episodeTV

Watch: Mark Cuban gets emotional toast in ‘Shark Tank’ final episodeTV

May 17, 2025
All-American Rejects playing pop-up showsMusic

All-American Rejects playing pop-up showsMusic

May 17, 2025