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

Giri Nathan

Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart on a FaceTime call after the Knicks traded for Mikal Bridges.

The Knicks Spend Five First-Round Picks On A College Reunion

David Roth

Al Michaels looks at an iPhone prior to the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau on November 17, 2022.

Media Meltdowns

AI Is Now Advanced Enough To Blow Al Michaels’s Mind

charismatic megafauna (they/them)

Sabrina Imbler

A photo of a brown rat fluorescing white and blue under UV light

Creaturefector

Does A Rat Need A Reason To Glow Ethereally?

Tom Ley

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jim Schlossnagle during the post game press conference after the 2024 SEC Baseball Tournament game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Texas A&amp;M Aggies on May 23, 2024 at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.

College Baseball

Texas A&M Baseball Coach Leaves For Texas, One Day After Scolding Reporter Who Asked If He Might Leave For Texas

Staff Writer
Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19

Chris Thompson

The Padres And Nationals Manufactured A Thrilling Summertime Rivalry Out Of Nothing At All

Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and has written for The Guardian, The Second Serve, The Athletic, n+1, Texas Monthly, Air Mail, and other publications.

Owen Lewis

The Great Outdoors

I Hate Running. I Miss Running.

Albert Burneko

A Tesla Cybertruck parked on the street in New York.

This Is So Stupid

I Would Like To Put Lunchmeat On The Cybertruck

Heather Chen is a former Defector intern and the managing editor at the Columbia Daily Spectator. She loves hockey, photography, and the good ol’ state of Michigan.

Heather Wei-Xi Chen

SUNRISE, FL - JUNE 24: Florida Panthers team photo with the Stanley Cup during the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Game 7 between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers on June 24th, 2024 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL.

Everyone Is Terrified That Fanatics Will Screw Up Hockey, Too

Luis Paez-Pumar

England captain harry Kane reacts after a near miss as Jude Bellingham of England looks on during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between England and Slovenia at Cologne Stadium on June 25, 2024 in Cologne, Germany.

Soccer

Never Show Group C To Me Again

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 Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

Drew Magary

Photo of TALKING HEADS; Stop Making Sense

Funbag

It’s Never Too Late To Fall In Love With ‘Stop Making Sense’

Billy Haisley

Lasha Dvali of Georgia, Tomá Soucek of Czech Republic and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili of Georgia battle for the ball during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Georgia and Czechia at Volksparkstadion on June 22, 2024 in Hamburg, Germany.

At Euro 2024, The Good Comes From The Bad

Lauren Theisen

Sergei Bobrovsky makes a save on his back

Don’t Forget That The Panthers Almost Choked It All Away

Tennis

In ‘Twelve Final Days,’ Roger Federer Still Has The Magic

Mattia Zaccagni of Italy celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Croatia and Italy at Football Stadium Leipzig on June 24, 2024 in Leipzig, Germany.

Italy Climbed Out Of Its Grave And Shoved Croatia In

Patrick Redford

Lalas confusing and infuriating Daniel Sturridge

Love Him Or Hate Him, Alexi Lalas Stinks At His Job

Ray Ratto

SUNRISE, FL - JUNE 24: Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice raises the Stanley Cup during the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Game 7 between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers on June 24th, 2024 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL. (Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Paul Maurice Is A Gem

Barry Petchesky

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers enters the dressing room with the Stanley Cup ready to celebrate with teammates after beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final at the Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

Momentum Or The Moment?

Close up of Tiger leech hanging off the edge of a leaf in Danum Valley rain forest

A Slimy New Contender For The Olympic Diving Team?

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - JUNE 21: Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers falls into goaltender falls into goaltender Stuart Skinner #74 of the Edmonton Oilers during the second period of Game Six of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on June 21, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Game 7 Is For Haters, Too

TEMPE, ARIZONA - APRIL 17: The Arizona Coyotes mascot, "Howler" holds up a sign reading "thank you fans" following the NHL game against the Edmonton Oilers at Mullett Arena on April 17, 2024 in Tempe, Arizona. Tonight's game likely marks the end of 28 years for the franchise, playing in the NHL's smallest arena, with an anticipated move to Utah with the team's expected sale to the NBA's Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Go Ahead And Start Shoveling Dirt On Alex Meruelo’s Coyotes

Alex Sujong Laughlin

The words "girl's girl" appear in the Charli XCX Brat font, on a Brat-green background.

Arts And Culture

Charli XCX, Lorde, And The Trap Of The “Girl’s Girl”

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Pitcher NiJaree Canady #24 of the Stanford Cardinals winds up for a pitch to the Texas Longhorns in the first inning during the 2024 NCAA Women's College World Series at OGE Energy Field at Devon Park on June 3, 2024 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Texas won 1-0 to advance to the finals.

Crosswords

The Crossword, June 24: Nine Lives (Themeless)

Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky and NaLyssa Smith #1 of the Indiana Fever react during the second half on June 23, 2024 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

WNBA

Angel Reese Is Not, In Fact, Too Small

a yellow and blue striped joro spider in a web

The “It Girl” Spiders That May Or May Not Be Taking Over The East Coast, At Some Point, Eventually

Kathryn Xu

George Russell of Mercedes defends against Lando Norris of McLaren during the F1 Grand Prix of Spain.