the ick files
hot takes on dating icks, red flags, green flags and the chaos in between. read up before your next situationship implodes.
What is an ick? The 2026 guide to sudden dating turn-offs
An ick is that instant, irrational full-body cringe when your crush does one specific thing and the vibe dies on the spot. Here's where it came from and why it's taking over dating.
Top 20 dating icks people can't stop talking about
From chasing a ping-pong ball to saying "the missus", here are the 20 icks that show up in every group chat.
Red flags vs icks: what's the actual difference?
A red flag says "this person is bad news". An ick says "this person just chased a ping-pong ball across a pub". Here's how to tell them apart before you ghost the wrong one.
How to rate a date: the Ickmeter scoring system explained
Our quiz gives every date a score out of 100. Here's how the ick math actually works, and why "100% green flag" gets a delulu warning.
First date green flags that actually matter
Not everything green is a green flag. These are the small first-date signals that quietly predict a good time.