I, Spy
Is the new year a time to reflect on the misjudgments of a life spent opining? Thirty years ago, when…
Aussie life
There has been some high-brow analysis of Australian boganhood recently. The 2022 compilation of essays, Class in Australia, where writers…
Language
The latest edition of The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (published by Merriam-Webster) has now appeared – and it contains 500…
The race is on for Rishi
There’s a new rule for members of Keir Starmer’s team on their WhatsApp group: no messages linking to opinion polls.…
Harry’s game
Four months into his reign, King Charles has seen his fair share of drama: two prime ministers and a wave…
My DNA results are in
I did not enjoy the Christmas festivities this year: I sang no carols, ate no turkey and failed to watch…
You’ve got mail
In Competition No. 3280, you were invited to submit an updating of W.H. Auden’s ‘Night Mail’ entitled ‘Email’. ‘Night Mail’…
Rich pickings
Alex Dilling at the Hotel Café Royal is a minute restaurant above Regent Street, which has the type of British…
Duck à l’orange
Duck à l’orange is so deliciously retro, it’s almost a cliché of kitsch. It seems hard to believe that there…
The spirit of Pele and Bobby Moore
Norwich City are a likeable club, and currently run by a pleasant-seeming bloke called Allan Russell. He used to be…
Our lovely miserable minibreak
Caroline likes to rent somewhere on Airbnb between Christmas and new year to break up the winter holiday. No, not…
