Newsweek has posted a reply to Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto's denial of its story that Nakamoto was, as Newsweek's headline put it, "The Face Behind Bitcoin." It reads:

Newsweek has not received any statement or letter from either Mr. Nakamoto or his legal counsel. If and when we do, we will respond as necessary.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but this is just stalling. Nakamoto challenged the entirety of the story in his widely distributed statement. That his statement was not personally sent to Newsweek doesn't really affect their obligation, as journalists, to respond on the substance of his denial. But then as I said this morning, it seems clear we're headed for litigation here. And Newsweek's statement certainly sounds like the kind of thing a lawyer might instruct you to say if you're just waiting to be sued.