Life
Your problems solved
Q. Former colleagues, with whom I got on very well in the context of the office, are buying a house…
The grim irony of Walsingham
As you came from the Holy land Of Walsingham Met you not with my true love By the way as…
Special status
‘Special status?’ said my husband. ‘You mean like executioners, butchers and undertakers in Japan?’ I hadn’t suggested that, but had…
Spectator Australia Wine Club – February
In trendoid Australian restaurants nowadays you’d be forgiven for thinking that a Spanish admiral got here before Arthur Phillip. Every…
Battle for Britain
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Gnomic
Zurich has been the scene for the latest clash between the titans of chess. Over a mere four days in…
No. 397
Black to play. This position is from Shirov-Nakamura, Zurich 2016. Black is winning easily but now finished with a fine…
Country music
In Competition No. 2936 you were invited to propose lyrics for a new British national anthem. Tom Shakespeare recently suggested…
Your problems solved
Q. Former colleagues, with whom I got on very well in the context of the office, are buying a house…
The grim irony of Walsingham
As you came from the Holy land Of Walsingham Met you not with my true love By the way as…
High life
One reason I do not tweet, text, use Facebook or Instagram, and only wield a mobile when a landline is…
Long life
There are still four months to go before the vote, but I already feel quite exhausted by the Europe referendum…
Long life
There are still four months to go before the vote, but I already feel quite exhausted by the Europe referendum…
Low life
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer with metastases in April 2013. It was a bit of a shock, but when…
Low life
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer with metastases in April 2013. It was a bit of a shock, but when…
Special status
‘Special status?’ said my husband. ‘You mean like executioners, butchers and undertakers in Japan?’ I hadn’t suggested that, but had…
Real life
The last time I bought a set of tyres in south London I came away not quite knowing whether I…
Vote ‘leave’ and stop the blurring of Britain
I don’t remember the last European referendum being nearly as dramatic as the current one. In 1975, we were being…
Vote ‘leave’ and stop the blurring of Britain
I don’t remember the last European referendum being nearly as dramatic as the current one. In 1975, we were being…
The 5 per cent of people who get to decide everything
What happens when 95 per cent of people like something, but 5 per cent of people prefer something else? You might think…
Bridge
Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking, and canvassing opinion, about what to lead from AKxxx (or…
High life
Gstaad The locals here in the beautiful Saanen valley are split over the migrant crisis. Switzerland does not belong…
Low life
In the Foreign Legion’s Museum of Memory at Aubagne, near Marseilles, I examined the kit, weapons and uniforms from the…
Real life
My upstairs neighbours are terribly nice, but too naive to be allowed to renovate their flat in peace. The two…
Long life
It had been many years since I had seen anything of Andreas Whittam Smith, but he popped up on the…
