CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Barry Petchesky

Science

I Think I Found The Problem Here: The Rocket Blew Up

<p>Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including <em>Point B</em>. Handsomest man in the world.</p>


Drew Magary

Derrick Henry #22 of the Tennessee Titans stretches toward the end zone for a touchdown

Derrick Henry Is Here To Remind The Ravens To Run The Fucking Ball

Tom Ley

Aaron Rodgers #8 of the New York Jets looks at a Microsoft Surface tablet during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on December 28, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Report: Aaron Rodgers Being Considered For Dream Job As Attention-Getting Loser

Luis Paez-Pumar

Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper #22 David Raya, Arsenal's Norwegian midfielder #08 Martin Odegaard, Arsenal's English midfielder #07 Bukayo Saka, Arsenal's English defender #04 Ben White and Arsenal's English midfielder #41 Declan Rice celebrate after winning the penalty shoot-out session the UEFA Champions League last 16 second leg football match between Arsenal and Porto FC at the Arsenal Stadium in north London, on March 12, 2024

Soccer

Don’t Forget About Arsenal

Kathryn Xu

J.D. Davis #7 of the San Francisco Giants singles in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies.

The Giants Used A Loophole To Screw Over J.D. Davis

Giri Nathan

Patrick Redford

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 11: Luca Nardi of Italy is congratulated by Novak Djokovic of Serbia after their match during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 11, 2024 in Indian Wells, California. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Tennis

Defector Tennis Bureau Indian Wells Dispatch Day 1: Novak Djokovic Put To The Sword By Italian Hotshot


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

a Kakapo named Sirocco exhibited at the Orokonui Ecosanctuary in Dunedin, New Zealand

Creaturefector

Honey, They Yassified A Kākāpō!

TUNIS, TUNISIA - JULY 26 : A man reads a newspaper with the death of Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi (92) on the headline in the country in Tunis, Tunisia on July 26, 2019. (Photo by Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Funbag

I Have To Know Why You Died!

Israel Daramola

Singer Kim Gordon performing a song on stage at a concert at the Astra in Berlin, Germany in 2002

Arts And Culture

Kim Gordon Rides The Thin Line Between Hip And Gimmick With ‘The Collective’

<div class="gs">
<div class="">
<div id=":2bl" class="ii gt adO">
<div id=":2bm" class="a3s aiL ">
<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gs">
<div class="">
<div id=":pk" class="ii gt adO">
<div id=":pj" class="a3s aiL ">
<div dir="ltr">
<div><a href="https://www.bystefanfatsis.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bystefanfatsis.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1759235100786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1mlCW5_XUY56jklGr11a_z">Stefan Fatsis</a> is the author of four books: <a href="https://groveatlantic.com/book/unabridged/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://groveatlantic.com/book/unabridged/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1759235100786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0jbw5ZscOBp6w-1um3R6yu"><i>Unabridged</i></a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-few-seconds-of-panic-a-sportswriter-plays-in-the-nfl-stefan-fatsis/7891278" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-few-seconds-of-panic-a-sportswriter-plays-in-the-nfl-stefan-fatsis/7891278&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1759235100786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0MpNNngIOKaj-715hSNVZD"><i>A Few Seconds of Panic</i></a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/word-freak-heartbreak-triumph-genius-and-obsession-in-the-world-of-competitive-scrabblep-layers-stefan-fatsis/11648962" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bookshop.org/p/books/word-freak-heartbreak-triumph-genius-and-obsession-in-the-world-of-competitive-scrabblep-layers-stefan-fatsis/11648962&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1759235100786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw02LL51Wrka0A0lLkwOxYUj"><i>Word Freak</i></a>, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Outside-Renegade-Baseball-Heartland/dp/0802712975" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Outside-Renegade-Baseball-Heartland/dp/0802712975&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1759235100786000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1YzbrZGW2KCbIttDDLhkPn"><i>Wild and Outside</i></a>. He&#8217;s also a former cohost of “Hang Up and Listen,” commentator on NPR&#8217;s &#8220;All Things Considered,&#8221; and reporter for <i>The Wall Street Journal</i>. Subscribe to his newsletter, <a href="https://stefanfatsis.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://stefanfatsis.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1786480936396000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0fRpxgEOhbgbpR79WFcozC">Unabridged</a>.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="WhmR8e" data-hash="0"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="WhmR8e" data-hash="0"></div>
</div>
</div>


Stefan Fatsis

Scrabble World Champion Nigel Richards holds up a trophy and shows the final winning board in London in 2018

Games

From TED To PERNOCTATED, Scrabble’s Best Player Knows No Limits

Lauren Theisen

Matt Rempe looks at Jonas Siegenthaler down on the ice

Where Matt Rempe Goes, Trouble Follows

Albert Burneko

G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller speaking at a conference with one of those microphones you wear on your ear.

Capital

Jim Spanfeller Is A Third-Rate Parasite

A Marshall player lays on the floor with the ball at the end of regulation.

Women's Basketball

JMU And Marshall Played The Funniest Basketball Game Of The Season

Maitreyi Anantharaman

South Carolina and LSU players fight at the end of the SEC Tournament championship game.

College Basketball

Who In The LSU-South Carolina Scuffle Was Ready To Scrap?

Kirk Cousins speaks on SiriusXM at Super Bowl LVIII on February 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

KirkWatch: I AM FREE

Samer Kalaf

Journalismism

Second Iteration Of Deadspin Now Also Dead

SAINT PAUL, MN - MARCH 10: Juuse Saros #74, Ryan O'Reilly #90 and Gustav Nyquist #14 of the Nashville Predators defend their goal against Joel Eriksson Ek #14 of the Minnesota Wild during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on March 10, 2024 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)

Not Even Wild Players Knew The Obscure Rule That Threatened A Forfeited Point

Ray Ratto

TAMPA, FL - MARCH 9: Head coach John Tortorella of the Philadelphia Flyers reacts to being ejected during the first period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on March 9, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/NHLI via Getty Images)

Torts, You Tease

Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets handles as Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors defends during the fourth quarter of Denvers 134-117 win at Ball Arena in Denver on Thursday, February 2, 2023.

Crosswords

The Crossword, March 11: Ten-Four, Good Buddy

Lindsey Horan Headed The USWNT Into Its Next Era

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 10: Donte DiVincenzo #0 of the New York Knicks grabs Kelly Oubre Jr. #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers starting an altercation during the second half at Madison Square Garden on March 10, 2024 in New York City. The 76ers won 79-73. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The Knicks Are Bringing Back The ’90s

Christopher Nolan, winner of the Best Picture award for “Oppenheimer”, poses in the press room during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Ovation Hollywood on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California.

Welcome To The Christopher Nolan Era

Race winner Doriane Pin of France and PREMA Racing (28) celebrates on the podium during Round 1 Jeddah race 2 of the F1 Academy at Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

Racing

Doriane Pin Penalized For Not Realizing Race Was Over, Winning Too Hard

J.T. Compher #37 and goaltenderJames Reimer #47 of the Detroit Red Wings take to the ice

The Red Wings Are On Red Alert

Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner looks on in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit.