A Data Visualization Newsletter

Coronavirus cases continue to rise in the U.S. with no signs of slowing down. When looking at the data on a state-by-state basis, the trend is clear: states that imposed fewer restrictions are now paying the price. The New York Times team breaks down how consistent containment measures have helped slow the spread of the virus in certain parts of the country, and how a lack of response has doomed others.

After closing its doors in March due to the pandemic, Nepal is now attempting to reopen its mountains to tourists and climbers. The year has been devastating for the country’s tourism economy, which has welcomed only 180K international arrivals as of October, down from 795K last year. The effects have been mostly felt by the large Sherpa population, who make their living assisting climbers up Nepal’s famed mountains, such as Everest.

Are crossword puzzles too white? Too old? Too male? The New York Times and others have been criticized for publishing puzzles that are exactly that, and for publishing more made by men than by women, some with outdated or even offensive clues. The puzzle lovers at The Pudding investigated with an interactive analysis on representation in crosswords from major outlets, including games you can play yourself.

The process of counting election votes was a rollercoaster this year due to an influx of mail-in voting. Those who voted on election day were disproportionately Republican, while those who voted early were disproportionately Democratic, causing the leader in states to shift drastically as more votes were counted. FiveThirtyEight tracked those swings to show how the election progressed over the course of election week.