Portrait of the Week
Home Pubs and restaurants would have to close at ten o’clock, under new coronavirus restrictions announced by Boris Johnson, the…
Barometer
Information overload The government’s plan to put ‘Covid wardens’ on the streets to enforce the new rule against more than…
Letters
China’s covered Sir: If Charles Moore had contacted the BBC, rather than conducting a fruitless Google search, we would have…
Solution to 2472: All-inclusive
The perimeter quotation is from Mahler. Remaining unclued lights were names of symphonies: 12A Mahler / Schubert; 26A Haydn; 39A…
Portrait of the Week
Home At one minute past midnight on Monday, new laws came into force prohibiting households in England increasing their numbers…
Identity crisis
On the face of it, there could scarcely be better conditions for a revival of the Labour party. Even before…
Letters
Referendum risk Sir: James Forsyth’s excellent analysis (‘To save the Union, negotiate independence’, 5 September) has one flaw: it is…
The case for restraint
One of the many ironies of the past few months is that young people, while least affected by the virus,…
Portrait of the Week
Home Gatherings of more than six people from more than one household were made a crime in England from 14…
Barometer
Lyrical errors ‘Rule, Britannia!’ begins with the lines: ‘When Britain first, at heaven’s command/Arose from out the azure main.’ —…
Solution to 2471: Inky
The unclued lights can be preceded by BLACK. First prize Stephanie Reeve, Papworth Everard, CambridgeRunners-up Hilda Ball, Belfast; Peter Chapman,…
A question of competence
This week was built up by the Prime Minister to be the moment that would mark the return of economic…
Letters
Cladding fear Sir: Emma Byrne’s report on the cladding scandal (‘Ill clad’, 29 August) will have given many of those…
Solution to 2470: Express route
The unclued lights are places served by the Norwegian HURTIGRUTEN ferries from Bergen to Kirkenes. Tromsø (at 4D) overruns into…
Portrait of the week
Home Simon Case, aged 41, the private secretary to the Duke of Cambridge 2018-20, was appointed Cabinet Secretary and Head…
With the Benedictines
From 18 October 1946: Their whole aim and object is to exemplify in their lives and corporate activity their sense…
Barometer
Culture clashes The pop star Adele was accused of ‘cultural appropriation’ for adopting a Jamaican hairstyle for the online Notting…
Letters
It’s not about money Sir: Professor Tombs criticises Alex Massie (Letters, 22 August) for ignoring evidence when the latter claims…
Solution to 2469: Breadth
The unclued lights were: 12 CORNI, anagram of Corin (As You Like It); 23 MANDIRA, Miranda (The Tempest); 27 LARDOON,…
The economy of tanks
That an abundance of tanks is no guarantee of a happy and secure nation was evident from the Soviet Union’s…
Barometer
About Last Night It was suggested that the BBC might ‘decolonise’ the Last Night of the Proms by removing ‘Rule,…
Portrait of the Week
Home Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland, made pupils wear face-coverings in school corridors. It didn’t take long for…
Letters
Scottish hearts and heads Sir: Alex Massie ignores the evidence when he espouses the assumption that economic concerns no longer…
Solution to 2468: noah entry?
The puzzle’s number 2468 was printed above the grid, hence ‘The theme is confirmed by the information provided.’ Letters deficient…
Biden’s complacency
There is a great mystery lying behind the 2020 US presidential election: how come a country of 350 million, which…
