Note heavy defeat for champion (3-3)
I believe the answer is:
far-out
'champion' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'note heavy defeat' is the wordplay.
'note' becomes 'fa' (musical note).
'heavy defeat' becomes 'rout' (I've seen this before).
'fa'+'rout'='FAR-OUT'
'for' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for far-out that I've seen before include "Distant, or slangily unconventional" , "Unconventional or avant garde - sounds distant" , "Slangily unconventional or avant garde" , "Avant-garde; excellent" , "Distant or unconventional as in avant-garde" .)