Life
Low life
Six months ago Sally was living in a third floor flat in Glasgow. Then she was thrown into the back…
Low life
Six months ago Sally was living in a third floor flat in Glasgow. Then she was thrown into the back…
Polari
Of the contribution to English that Polari is claimed to have brought, perhaps naff is the most current-sounding. An older…
Real life
Against all odds, I almost got through an entire Brexit dinner with dignity, and without opening the valve in my…
The waning of Wayne
As the final chords of the Wagnerian epic that is ‘The Dropping of Wayne Rooney’ fade away, we can leave…
Sorry, Shami, but you’re wasting your money
I’ve been thinking about poor Shami Chakrabarti and the drubbing she’s suffered since it was revealed she’s sending her son…
Sorry, Shami, but you’re wasting your money
I’ve been thinking about poor Shami Chakrabarti and the drubbing she’s suffered since it was revealed she’s sending her son…
The master of Ballydoyle
The only downside about going racing is irritation born of encountering pig ignorant people who talk through their pockets. Beside…
The master of Ballydoyle
The only downside about going racing is irritation born of encountering pig ignorant people who talk through their pockets. Beside…
Bridge
The Hubert Phillips is one of the EBU’s quirkier knockout tournaments. Firstly every team must contain (and play) at least…
Bridge
It often strikes me that learning to bid is just like mastering a language. As you take on new conventions…
The Battle for Britain
The post The Battle for Britain appeared first on The Spectator. Got something to add? Join the discussion and comment…
High life
New York Back in the Big Bagel once again preparing for the greatest debate ever, one that will decide the…
Creation story
In Competition No. 2968 you were-invited to take the title of a short story by Ted Hughes, How the Whale…
Critique
‘Americans,’ said my husband in much the same tone that Betsey Trotwood said ‘Donkeys’. It was his way of explaining…
Real life
After a year dealing with estate agents I can only say: a plague on all their houses, except the one…
to 2278: Will Alterations
Concealed Shakespearean characters were Rivers, Celia, Celia (again), Hamlet, Costard, Polonius, Snug, Hero, Gallus, Martius, Pistol, Collatine (The Rape of…
Dear Mary: Your problems solved
Q. A family of five from Brazil who are close friends of mine are visiting London next week. They have…
Low life
The first and only time I went to a meeting of Sex Addicts Anonymous, this chap stood up and gave…
Long life
In olden days, before the internet arrived, shopping was quite simple. You’d go into a shop and buy something, and…
no. 429
White to play. This is from Tal-Botvinnik, World Championship (Game 12), Moscow 1961. Tal’s next move did not force an…
2281: Fail
Each of eleven clues comprises a definition part and a hidden consecutive jumble of the answer including one extra letter;…
A good read… but I don’t buy the plot
I’m writing this from the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham where the mood is buoyant, to put it mildly. Everyone…
Let there be light, and at better times of day
We already drive on the left, give road distances in miles and drink pints. So one good feature of Brexit…
Eat, drink and be worried
We were surpassing Sydney Smith. His idea of heaven was pâté de foie gras to the sound of trumpets. Our…
