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


<p>Michael is a writer who has worked with The Atlantic, The New Yorker, WIRED, Vox, The New York Times, and other publications. His first book, <em>The Other Olympians</em>, which uncovers the stories of several European athletes who transitioned gender in the 1930s, is now available for purchase.</p>


Michael Waters

Officials in hazmat suits remove a medal around an olympian's neck

Olympics

Chromosome Testing Will Take Sports Back To The Dark Ages

<div id=":6bg" class="ii gt adO">
<div id=":6mo" class="a3s aiL">
<div id="avWBGd-12137">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>Rena Behar is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor specializing in responsible travel and various international oddities.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id=":74q" class="hq gt"></div>


Rena Behar

An illustration of a skier going down the mountain while holding picket signs

Capital

The Outdoor Industry Needs Workers, And Workers Need Unions

<p>Libby Watson is a writer, <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/libtron">streamer</a> and <a href="https://www.patreon.com/whatsallthisthen">podcaster</a>.</p>


Libby Watson

The exterior of breakfast, lunch, and pizza

Food

I Traveled 800 Miles To Eat Breakfast, Lunch, And Pizza At Criss Angel’s Breakfast, Lunch, And Pizza

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


Heather Wei-Xi Chen

Animals

The Westminster Dog Show’s Youngest Handlers Don’t Know If They Want To Do This Forever

Rafaela Bassili

Sara Jane Moore, the woman who attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford, is shown as she leaves San Mateo County prison en route to San Francisco where she is to to appear in the US District Court, October 28th 1975.

Arts And Culture

‘Suburban Fury’ Is Strange, Blinkered, And Very Compelling

<div>John is a history teacher, researcher, and writer. He lives in the D.C. area.</div>
<div id="m_6335302696863890491Signature"></div>


John Mohr

Artist Scott Adams, the creator the "Dilbert" comic series, poses with a cutout of his character in Dublin, Calif. on Feb. 7, 1996. (Photo by Michael Macor/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

I Watched The “Lost” Live-Action ‘Dilbert’ Pilot Episode, And It’s Clear Why It Didn’t Get Picked Up

The Secrets Of Human And Canine Fashion At The Westminster Dog Show

<p>Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and has written for The Guardian, The Second Serve, The Athletic, and other publications.</p>


Owen Lewis

Carlos Alcaraz celebrates on the court after winning the Australian Open.

Tennis

A Pure Tennis Boy

<p>Mychal Denzel Smith is the author of <i>Stakes Is High</i>, winner of the Kirkus Prize for Non-Fiction.</p>


Mychal Denzel Smith

I Thoroughly Enjoyed Watching Michael Rapaport Eat Shit On ‘The Traitors’

Eli Cugini

Fanfiction’s Total Cultural Victory

<p>Hamilton Nolan is a journalist based in New York City. Subscribe to his work at <a href="https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687350200913000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0naFbUVOe-5ZgtPDtIM3gz">HamiltonNolan.com</a>.</p>


Hamilton Nolan

Boxing

Look On The Bright Side

<p>Séamus Malekafzali is a New York-based journalist and writer primarily focusing on the politics of the Middle East.</p>


Séamus Malekafzali

Donald Trump looks on as Lindsey Graham talks in the foreground.

Politics

Lindsey Graham Has Waited Decades For The Chance To Obliterate Iran

<p>Leland Nally is a writer living in Los Angeles.</p>


Leland Nally

Lisbon , Portugal - 3 November 2021; Tarek Mansour, Co-founder, Kalshi on Centre Stage during day two of Web Summit 2021 at the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal.

Prediction Markets Are Betting On A Grim Future

Fans line up to enter Melbourne Park ahead of day four matches at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 21, 2026.

The Australian Open Is Too Much Of A Good Thing

Alex Pareene

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Gregory Bovino with his security team while a group of citizens opposed to the country's immigration policies protested him in Minnesota on January 21, 2026.

I Have A Great Idea For Retraining ICE Agents

<p>Elon Green is the author of <em>The Man Nobody Killed</em> and <em>Last Call</em>.</p>


Elon Green

Michael Connelly Should Stick To Fake Crime

<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>


Abigail Segel

Manchester City players huddle ahead of the Subway Women's League Cup Semi Final match between Manchester City and Chelsea at Joie Stadium on January 21, 2026 in Manchester, England.

Soccer

Manchester City Lost A Battle But Is Winning The War For English Women’s Soccer Supremacy

James Webster

Elisa Shua Dusapin Is The Real Deal

<p><a href="https://zachgozlan.info/">Zach Gozlan</a> is a data scientist, trivia ringer, and internet user based in Washington, D.C.</p>


Zach Gozlan

Athletes stand at the Jeopardy podiums in full sports gear.

Are ‘Jeopardy!’ Contestants Really That Bad At Questions About Sports? 

Veronica de Souza

Make It Nice

Make It Nice: Gallery Wall Tutorial

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


Nicholas Russell

Interviews

Natan Last Has Thought A Lot About Crosswords

<p>Tommy Craggs is an editor and writer, late of Game Theory With Bomani Jones on HBO, Mother Jones (no relation), HuffPost, Slate, Gawker Media, and Deadspin. He&#8217;s part of the <a href="https://flaminghydra.com/">Flaming Hydra</a> cooperative of independent writers and artists, and one of the many founders of the <a href="https://www.oaklandreviewofbooks.org/">Oakland Review of Books</a>.</p>


Tommy Craggs

Bari Weiss seated onstage at a Free Press event in 2024.

Journalismism

Bari Weiss Is The Symptom

Jaguars Junction: Wild Card Round

<p>Sean T. Collins has written for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Vulture, Decider, Pitchfork, and many others. He lives with his family on Long Island.</p>
