When I told my mom Anomalous was publishing an issue of constraints for its fourth anniversary, she called me a dumbbell. How can a group of authors create worthwhile writing by dealing themselves 10 playing cards? she asked. I said, Mom, I get that you’re not into constrained writing, but I think it’ll be more fun than making s’mores at a five-alarm fire. I told her that we were just following the Oulipo tradition, and those dudes were the bomb. So the editors got together, made each of those playing cards mean something else, and contacted a few of our favorite writers. For some of those writers, writing under constraint was like getting whacked with a freshman paddle. Others thought the insulation of the rules offered them unexpected freedom, like painting a portrait over the x-ray of a skull. At least one writer likened the experience to chewing ice: you could break your teeth getting hydrated that way. So, despite my mom’s concerns, we’ve posted this issue on the internet for your pleasure. We hope its magnificence doesn't crash your computer.