Books

Defector At The Movies

Music

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

Alex Sujong Laughlin

Korean students study in an auditorium in Seoul's Songshin Women's University.

The Case Against Exceptionalism


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk holding up a shoe with a pen

Mr. Monk And The Unfinished Book

Michael Waters

Arts And Culture

Nation Of Bondholders

Lauren Theisen

a small green bridge with a road for cars and a walking path

Book Excerpts That Don't Suck

A Search For Movie History In Upstate New York

Sophie Abromowitz

Accept The Expanding Ball Of Infected Corpses You Cannot Change

Sarah Hagi

Finally, A Shitty Movie Where Muslims Are The Bad Guys

Samer Kalaf

Even The Weather Hates Ed Sheeran

Dan Schindel

Interviews

Paula González-Nasser Gives Location Scouts Their Due

Taylor Swift in a strapless dress on a red carpet for the Songwriters Hall of Fame with the album art for The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore superimposed next to her.

This Is A Cry For Help


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Culture Writer</p>


Israel Daramola

Revisiting Weezer’s Cringe Masterpiece At 30

<div class="PostFooter_wrapper__Msc__">
<div class="Container_contentWidthWrapper__RL4A5">
<div class="PostFooter_inner__ikvxo">
<div class="PostBylineRiver_wrapper__2QH_p">
<div class="PostBylineRiver_authorWrapper__6ThRc">
<div class="PostBylineRiver_bio__xKPxl">
<p>Robert Rubsam writes fiction and nonfiction. His work has appeared in the NYT Magazine, the Atlantic, the Washington Post, the Baffler, and Liberties. He is a contributing writer for Commonweal Magazine.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="Container_contentWidthWrapper__RL4A5">
<div id="coral_thread" class="Embed_wrapper__vD_40">
<div>
<div id="coral" class="coral-width-gt-xs coral-width-gte-xs coral-width-gt-mobile coral-width-gte-mobile coral-width-gt-mobileMax coral-width-gte-mobileMax coral-width-gt-sm coral-width-gte-sm coral-width-lt-md coral-width-lte-md coral-width-lt-lg coral-width-lte-lg coral-width-lt-xl coral-width-lte-xl" data-nosnippet="true">
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>


Robert Rubsam

Two Indie Action Films, One Clear Winner

Ed Sheeran crying at his Philadelphia concert

Ed Sheeran Delivers Pointless Statement Then Cries During Latest Concert

<p>Nicholas Russell is a writer from Las Vegas.</p>


Nicholas Russell

China Miéville On The “Completely Defining” Book It Took 20 Years To Write

Justin Ellis

Brandy Jensen

David Roth

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

Alan Ritchson's Jack Reacher character glowers at a screaming man with his hand stuck in an industrial shredder during an episode from season four of Amazon's "Reacher." Reacher is wearing a t-shirt that says "Get Cracked In Philadelphia," and is huge.

He’ll Take The Elevator: Defector Reacher Creatures On ‘Reacher’ Season 4

Giri Nathan

Kelsey McKinney

Annie Dillard receiving her 2014 National Humanities Medal

Annie Dillard Gave It All

<p>Grace Byron is a critic, reporter, and novelist based in Queens. Her writing has appeared in <em>The New Yorker</em>, <em>Granta</em>, <em>Bookforum</em>, and elsewhere. Her debut novel <em>Herculine</em> is out now.</p>


Grace Byron

A New Book Examines The Wickedness Of Trump. Sort Of.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 28: Lil Durk performs during iHeart Powerhouse 105.1 at Prudential Center on October 28, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey.

Listening Habits

Feeling Sad About Rap Again

Massive Own-Goal Scored By Ed Sheeran

Macklemore in a green fur coat poses on stage.

Robert Kraft Now Decides Who Tours With Ed Sheeran

The cover of Observer over a black-and-white photo of the Nevada desert.

Nicholas Russell’s Debut Novel Gets Weird In The Desert

Patrick Redford

Head coach Mike McDonald of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with fans during the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl LX victory celebration and parade at Lumen Field on February 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

How NFL Teams Avoid The Great Big Middle


<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="http://Feldman.cool" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brian Feldman</a> is a software engineer living in Brooklyn.</p>


Brian Feldman

New yorkers throw garbage at the green goblin from the Queensboro bridge

How An Unsubtle 9/11 Tribute Was Added To Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man’

Laura Wheatman Hill

Emily St. John Mandel, author of Exit Party

Talking To Emily St. John Mandel About Revision, Timeline Corruption, And Living Without A Floor

Becca Young

‘Furious’ Makes You Face It

<div id="message-list_1773066846.655809">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>Abigail Segel is a contributing writer at Defector. She is also an editor for The IX Soccer and the Equalizer. Her work has been published in the Guardian and the Montreal Gazette.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
