Life
This prospective lodger was clearly barking mad
‘Take a seat,’ said the prospective lodger as we stood in my dining room. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t understand,’ I…
In praise of geldings
Boris Johnson, Remainers might like to be reminded, does sometimes change his mind under pressure. Some years ago, as editor…
Bridge
Here we go again. The ninth European Bridge Championships are upon us, this time taking place in Istanbul. Hundreds of…
Fortune’s wheel
The elite tournament at Stavanger in Norway has resulted in yet another victory for the world champion Magnus Carlsen. The…
no. 559
Black to play. This position is from Grischuk-Anand, Altibox (Armageddon game), Stavanger 2019. How does Black break White’s resistance? Answers…
Talking heads
In Competition No. 3103 you were invited to submit a Shakespearean soliloquy delivered by one of the contenders for the…
2413: Sign here please
The unclued lights are of a kind, verifiable in Brewer. Across 11 Oil-well cap adjusted as ornamentation (10, two…
to 2410: Alphabetical Jigsaw
First prize Susan Edouard, Bexhill-on-SeaRunners-up Joan Sutton, Canterbury, Kent; Harry Duff, Machen, Caerphilly Got something to add? Join the discussion…
Is this a turning point in the culture war?
Something rather wonderful happened last week for those of us who have been the victims of a public shaming —…
The Battle for Britain
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The service station problem: it’s becoming impossible to correct a mistake
My first award for intelligent design this week goes to Dublin airport for displaying a sign which reads ‘Lounges. Turn…
Dear Mary: How can I stop the book club gossip from snooping around my house?
Q. One of the members of our book club is particularly nosy and gossipy. I like this woman, but when…
Ian Botham’s Ozzie Chardonnay is too good for the convicts
Cricket is the most gracious of games. County grounds in the lee of cathedrals, village greens in the perfect setting…
The barking world of ‘doggo lingo’
Doggy sounds childish. ‘How much is that doggie in the window?’ asks the popular song. (The song title used the…
Boris is the only one who can save the Tories
A lady once offered to go to bed with me if I could ensure that she would write The Spectator’s…
The joy of my local paper
As usual I go downstairs at five o’clock in the morning and into the dining room, which now serves as…
My planning permission hell
When is planning permission for four loft windows actually planning permission for two? Or simultaneously vice versa? It’s a very…
Bridge
Bridge is such a complex, multi-layered game that a single hand can be approached in myriad ways, depending on the…
Morse and Lewis
The Isle of Lewis chess pieces are one of the proudest possessions of the British Museum and also the National Museum…
no. 558
White to play. This position is a variation from Ding Liren-So, Stavanger 2019. White could continue the attack with 1…
Fan mail
In Competition No. 3102 you were invited to submit a fan letter from one well-known person from the field of…
2412: Transponders
It is the centenary of a daring feat. Unclued lights (two of two words) include two surnames, two locations (two…
to 2409: Crosswords
The unclued lights are all hybrid animals whose names are formed by combining the names of the two original animals.…
It’s a scandal that the BBC can still tax anyone who owns a TV
If I were a pensioner, I’d be a bit miffed by the BBC’s decision to end the policy of giving…
The Battle for Britain
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