Footer Legal

Header - Categories

Header Menu

The last good website.

Topics

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Enjoy a month of unlimited, ad-free articles.

Try Defector for just $1!

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!

But don't skip Defector's Spring Sale: Click below to try a month for just $1!

You can skip this slide-up.

Defector

David Roth

Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway (L) watches New York Knicks' center Charles Oakley (C) and Miami Heat center PJ Brown (R) go for a rebound in second period action of their game 12 April at the Miami Arena.

Podcasts

Getting Kicked In The Back By P.J. Brown

Fernando Mendoza of the Indiana Hoosiers prepares to take the snap of the ball at the line of scrimmage during the Indiana Hoosiers versus the Miami Hurricanes College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

Making Noises At Jim Nantz, With Aaron Schatz

Mark Vientos of the New York Mets reacts after flying out against the Athletics during the sixth inning at Citi Field on April 12, 2026 in New York City.

A New Space In Which To Be Stupid, With Michael Schur

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the BlackRock Infrastructure Summit on March 11, 2026 in Washington, DC.

A Feast Of Sludge, With Ed Zitron

Vince Velasquez of the Philadelphia Phillies prays before he pitches against the New York Mets during a game at Citi Field on July 11, 2018.

Chartreuse And Root Beer, With Kelsey McKinney

University of Wisconsin-Madison freshman women's basketball team in the gymnasium of Ladies Hall (now Chadbourne Hall), Madison, Wisconsin, 1900.

Please, Mr. Pibb Is My Father, With Emma Baccellieri

Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers looks for a shot against Morez Johnson Jr. #21 of the Michigan Wolverines during the first half of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game on March 15, 2026.

Let’s Get Upset, With Ken Pomeroy

A kebab is prepared in the Elbis-Döner restaurant at Berliner Straße 2 in Wilmersdorf. It looks good as hell.

Kebab Juice On The Windowpane, With Rohan Nadkarni

Justin Agu #13 of the Louisville Cardinals catches the ball against the Toledo Rockets during the first half of the 2025 Bush's Boca Raton Bowl of Beans at Flagler Credit Union Stadium on December 23, 2025.

Imagining The End Of College Sports, With Spencer Hall

<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

Fixing Tanking By Making Everything More Confusing, With Tom Ley

Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert of Team Canada compete during Men's Round Robin between Team Canada and Team Great Britain on day eleven of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium on February 17, 2026.

Across The Hog Line, With John Cullen

A Pomeranian is groomed backstage during the Group Judging (Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding) at 149th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 2025.

Choosing Your Pomeranian, With Kathryn Xu

Phillie Phanatic, mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies, pumps up the crowd with some of his signature goofy antics during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, August 9-11, 1982, at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania back in 1982. The turf looks crazy. His weird tongue is sticking out.

The Distraction