Life
To 2157: Song X
If the grid were a TIMEPIECE (13/12), the six perimetric words (GRANITE, LIMESTONE, SERPENTINE, GREYWACKE, DALRADIAN and HORNFELS) might collectively…
Why I’m a kamikaze cyclist
The only way to survive as a London cyclist is to behave like a complete nutter
Battle for Britain
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What’s right with Saracens– and José’s Chelsea
It’s hard to love Saracens rugby club — their centre is called Bosch, a word that also describes their bulldozing…
Dear Mary
Q. My sister and I own a popular caravan park which, for 30 years, has given happiness to around a…
Oxford blues
It is now two decades since I lived in Oxford. I was then a drunk and lonely puddle of a…
Shouty
Hitler was ‘dark, shouty, moustachioed’ in Churchill’s eyes, or rather, that was Jonathan Rose’s view of how Churchill saw Hitler,…
Oxford blues
It is now two decades since I lived in Oxford. I was then a drunk and lonely puddle of a…
What’s right with Saracens– and José’s Chelsea
It’s hard to love Saracens rugby club — their centre is called Bosch, a word that also describes their bulldozing…
Settling up
Mrs Oakley takes a dim view of my using the BMW that consumed much of her savings to ferry sacks…
High life
New York The poet was right: April is the cruellest month. We at The Spectator lost Clarissa Tan, my good…
Low life
Two years ago, roughly, for a travel piece, I flew to Delhi and took a southbound train to a dusty…
Real life
The mechanic hooked the Volvo up to his special laptop. He had kindly offered to come to me in order…
Long life
When I got married 50 years ago, my wife and I had somehow acquired a little cookery book called Cooking…
Wild life
From a way off, as he entered the café, he looked young and handsome but when he sat down there…
Bridge
It’s no coincidence that many card players excel at both bridge and poker. The poker legend Gus Hansen plays a…
Watch and wait
While Viswanathan Anand, the former world champion, has been qualifying for a revenge match for the world title, Magnus Carlsen,…
No. 311
White to play. This is a variation from Carlsen-Leitao, Brazil 2014. White has a big attack on the kingside which…
Inconsequential
In Competition No. 2844 you were invited to provide an extract from either a gripping thriller or a bodice-ripping romance…
2159: Wine, Woman and Song
Nine unclued lights are linked in three different ways (three lights to each) to a tenth, which solvers should highlight.…
to 2156: Shoreline
The perimeter is occupied by seven SANDPIPERS. First prize Tim Hanks, Douglas, Isle of Man Runners-up Hilda Ball, Belfast;…
Yes, Britain is a Christian country
I can’t say it was a great surprise to read a letter from a group of well-known authors, academics, comedians…
Battle For Britain
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Ideas that breed
A 14-year-old at an American school recently caused a stir when he claimed that the US government could save over…
Your problems solved
Q. My son was invited, both verbally and via Facebook, to a schoolfriend’s 16th birthday party. However, when I met…
