How the Northern line brought T.E. Lawrence to The Spectator
If only the Northern line could get its act together. Last week saw further buffing of its reputation as the…
The joy of guided walks
‘You should be pointing at things with an umbrella for a living,’ said my brother. He’d come to visit me…
The Liberal MP who put the ‘bank’ in bank holiday
Why are you enjoying a bank holiday this month, as opposed to a ‘general’ or ‘national’ holiday? It’s because the…
The wit and beauty of bank notes
William Shakespeare was the first to feature, in 1970. Alan Turing was most recent, in 2021. But the Bank of…
The art of a great pub quiz
‘What’s the capital of Albania?’ The correct answer is, of course: ‘Who cares?’ If you’re at a quiz and this…
The curious language of coins
Lewis Carroll used to travel with purses divided into separate compartments, each containing the exact number of coins he’d need…
What makes a good obituary?
My obituaries habit gets ever stronger. I find there’s nothing as inspiring or instructive or entertaining as reading a few…
How to serve smelt
Donald Trump has form with the smelt. In his 2016 presidential run, he complained that California’s authorities were prioritising the…
The art of swearing
Sometimes it’s the only word that will do. Every journalist at Max Verstappen’s press conference last month understood him perfectly…
Why we love to be baffled
So much of life is a search for answers. How to get ahead, how to earn more money, how to…
Assassination attempts, executions and volleyball: a history of Horse Guards
Will they never learn? The signs are very clear: ‘Beware! Horses may kick or bite.’ Yet last week a woman…
Why do people make excuses for surly staff?
‘You grab that table, I’ll get the drinks.’ I did as bid. A couple of minutes later, Paul was back,…
Forget Eton. This Mumbai team should play Harrow at Lord’s
The first thing I do is turn my watch upside down. India is five-and-a-half hours ahead of the UK, so…
Is Keir Starmer too boring to be prime minister?
‘What do you know about Keir Starmer?’ My friend’s question came as we sat in the pub. It was part of…
All to play for
Board games especially – dating back to at least 3000 BC – have never been idle entertainment but help boost the memory and teach valuable strategic skills
Stress Test
The Ashes has become too much for some cricket fans
Mixed messages
How instant communication killed conversation
Rough and tumble
Harry Pearson’s tour of village games over the centuries even includes a Georgian football match where an Englishman’s severed head was used as the ball
