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January 17, 2026 
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Welcome back to The Weekender, where you’ll find a batch of the week’s top stories about culture and the way we live today.
In my estimation, there are two types of people in the world: those who have watched the show “Heated Rivalry” and only want to read, think or talk about it, and those who have not. Who is in that first camp? Our Styles desk explored that question this week and found “a broad, colorful fan base — which includes, but is not limited to, hockey followers, pop-culture fanatics and romance-book readers.” And, many many women. In the latest episode of “Cannonball,” Wesley Morris has a take on why it appeals to us; it’s because “‘Heated Rivalry’ is about more than sex and hockey.”
If you’re in the second group but still want a dose of romance, we have William Blake’s “The Clod & the Pebble,” a poem that might tell you what kind of lover you are, A.O. Scott says. His close read is below along with the recipe for a less romantic but highly productive weekend: super short workouts and kitchen organizing hacks. (But also, Shane is the clod and Ilya is the pebble, and now you know which type of person I am.)
— Farah
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This edition of The Weekender was edited by Farah Miller and Kellina Moore. Reach our team at weekender@nytimes.com.
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