Life
Butterbump
‘Still I’m called Buttercup —poor little Buttercup,’ sang my husband in an inappropriate and displeasing baritone. Not wishing to encourage…
Real life
If you are the sort of person who enjoys tinkering with a classic car prone to myriad mechanical problems then…
Why I’d like to be a more dangerous dad
According to figures obtained by BBC Breakfast last week, more than 500 people were arrested in England and Wales in…
Why I’d like to be a more dangerous dad
According to figures obtained by BBC Breakfast last week, more than 500 people were arrested in England and Wales in…
Directions your phone can’t give you
In many ways a satnav is a miraculous device. A network of US military satellites more than 10,000 miles above…
Wild life
Laikipia ‘Awayoo,’ was how our head stockman Apurra said ‘how are you?’ in his texts from Pokot country, where I…
Bridge
Bridge players are a superstitious bunch. And I don’t just mean the steps they take to prepare for matches —…
High life
Gstaad Going up on a chairlift with the town’s doctor, I asked him, ‘How’s business, doc?’ ‘Never better,’ said…
Low life
I walk into the King Bill at eight o’clock and the usual young Friday-night crowd is in and the spirit…
Real life
Diamonds are for ever. Plumbers take a lifetime. They never finish. No job is too big or small for them…
Long life
My time as a duck-keeper seems to have come bloodily to an end. I have had ducks on my pond…
Farewell to Fergie
Writing a Turf column before the Cheltenham Festival, as the Spectator schedule requires, which you are reading only after the…
Bridge
The past couple of weeks have been the first since the New Year that we haven’t played a tournament of…
Candidates
The Candidates tournament to determine the challenger later this year to world champion Magnus Carlsen is now well underway in…
Puzzle no. 400
White to play. This position is a variation from Anand-Topalov, Fidé Candidates, Moscow 2016. White can capture the black bishop,…
Preposterous pet
In Competition No. 2939 you were invited to submit a poem about a famous person and an unlikely pet. There’s…
2252: Writer deploys me
11/22, 36/1D, 48/2, 9/30 and 17/46 combine to form anagrams of the titles of five works (four of two words,…
to 2249: Transformation
In line with 10A, other unclued lights were anagrams of US states: 17A ILLINOIS; 29A MARYLAND; 35A UTAH; 7D TEXAS;…
The miracle of Michaela
It was like being on the set of an inspirational Hollywood film about a visionary teacher who transforms the lives…
Battle for Britain
Got something to add? Join the discussion and comment below.
Jones the dragon-slayer
The return heavyweight bout between England and Wales lived up to its billing as the most thumping rugby match of…
Dear Mary
Q. I have a deep crush on an army officer I’ve met through work. He is decisive, practical and doesn’t…
Marco Pierre, why?
Wheeler’s is such a dreadful restaurant that I wonder if Marco Pierre White even knows his name is on it.…
Cock
On the Radio 4 news at 11 o’clock last Saturday morning there was a joky report about roosters in Brisbane. The…
Battle for Britain
Got something to add? Join the discussion and comment below.
