Life
2525: Prime Times
Elements of four symmetrically disposed unclued lights confirm the 5 Down. Enumerations indicate lengths of clues’ ‘full’ solutions. Across…
No. 672
Black to play. J. Polgar — Gaprindashvili, Novi Sad Olympiad 1990. Gaprindashvili’s next move prompted immediate resignation. What did she…
Of vice and men
In the Levant, the grape has been cultivated for millennia, some of it used for wine. The hills of Lebanon…
The whole picture
There’s an intriguing conversation on YouTube between Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of England, and the artist Damien…
Dear Mary: Your problems solved
Q. I never lie about my age but I try not to think — or talk — about it. Now…
Nona vs Netflix
Last year’s Netflix mini-series The Queen’s Gambit hit all the right notes. For the neophytes, it was quirky and intriguing.…
The Battle for Britain
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Low life
In former times I had acquaintances of long standing, or even friends, who never once asked what I did for…
Real life
After the landowner told us to be out in three weeks, then admitted we had three months to move our…
High life
It’s nice to be back in London, and Glebe Place is a delight. Mind you, it’s not the mansion I…
Aussie Life
When maverick ex-New York Times reporter Alex Berenson said that the Covid-19 jabs didn’t stop infection or transmission, and were…
Aussie Language
When Extinction Rebellion vandalised Parliament House they were engaging in ‘stuntism’— a word that was coined by Mark Latham. When…
Puzzle No. 671
White to play. Gaprindashvili–Servaty, Dortmund 1974. The dark squares around Black’s king are critically weak, and White found an accurate…
Solution to 2521: Leading question
The question was ‘What is THE THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY(-)NINTH PRIME NUMBER’ (7A/10/22/40/16/31/32/28)? The answer is 2521, the number of…
Rock god
In Competition No. 3216, you were invited to retell a well-known biblical story in a secular style that would enhance…
Detecting vulnerabilities
I suspect many players perceive the chess board in rich contrast, like a heat map. Glowing bright red are those…
2524: Spelean II
Clockwise round the grid from 20 runs a quotation minus one word (1,2,4,4,4,1,4,1,5,4,4,9) followed by an honest servant’s name. Unclued…
Roll out
I was rolling out some pastry that had been cooling its pudgy heels in the fridge when voices on the…
Low life
With a French health card everything is free for us cancer patients, even taxis to and from the hospital. ‘This…
News from nowhere
The residents of Mayfair are misnamed: they do not really live here. They live in Mayfair like I live on…
Two class acts
Not many people would have seen that coming. I’m talking of course of last Saturday evening and the women’s final…
High life
Memories for me are like beautifully edited copy: all cleaned up and retaining only the good parts. The wife tells…
The Battle for Britain
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The turf
The emphasis may all be on speed horses these days, with breeders interested only in horses that struggle to get…
Dear Mary: Your problems solved
Q. I recently attended a wedding which was (for me) quite ‘grand’, with a church ceremony followed by a reception.…
