2493: Opposites
Two contrasting film stars allegedly said ‘1A’ (five words) and ‘49/27’ (six words in total). Remaining unclued lights (including one…
Puzzle No. 640
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Theodore Herlin, Schachzeitung 1852. Answers to be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk…
Knights before bishops
In 2005 Steve Jobs gave a commencement address at Stanford University. The late Apple CEO kicked off with a story…
The sticky truth about Navalny
His courage is exhilarating. Even if you think his cause hopeless, Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader and Putin-baiter, deserves…
Wild life
Malindi, Kenya I’ve learned that mourning must be tackled ever so gently. As a younger man, when friends were killed…
Low life
Seven bells. Pitch dark still. I descend the creaking wooden stairs in the darkness, let the dog out, make tea…
Letters
Save on bishops Sir: The Church of England is once again missing the point if its financial crisis will result…
The curse of Cain
When police were called to a block of flats in north London at the beginning of 2002, they expected to…
Natural successor
When it comes to natural history, Sir David Attenborough rules the airwaves. Pliny the Elder (d. ad 79) who, as…
Missing the big picture
In 1953, Francis Bacon’s friends Lucian Freud and Caroline Blackwood were concerned about the painter’s health. His liver was in…
Diary
We weren’t long into Bruce Castor’s opening speech defending Donald Trump in his impeachment trial before we knew it was…
Reinventing the superhero
If Marvel characters seem dysfunctional, just look at their creators, says Dorian Lynskey
Rapid recovery means no negative rates – and a good time to buy a pub
It’s obvious from the body language of Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey that negative interest rates — much talked…
What has the New York Times got against Ayaan Hirsi Ali?
Ayaan Hirsi Ali is not an easy person to cancel. She has survived the brutal murder of her colleague Theo…
What’s woke this week?
Wokeworld really is a fairyland where all kinds of magical and amazing things happen. Its residents are the super-sensitive princesses…
Liz Cheney is no hero
When Rep. Liz Cheney recently said she would vote to impeach President Trump, most of the national GOP and Wyoming…
Meghan Markle and the trouble with human rights law
Meghan Markle hailed her victory in a high court privacy case as a ‘comprehensive win’ over the Mail on Sunday’s…
Japan Olympic chief resigns over sexism. But did he have to go?
Yoshiro Mori the 83-year-old former Japanese prime minister has resigned from his position as president of the Tokyo Olympic Organising…
Tory nerves are growing over Boris Johnson’s Covid strategy
When the third lockdown was voted on in the House of Commons last month, there was a smaller Tory rebellion than the previous…
The rise of Florian Philippot, France’s answer to Nigel Farage
These are dispiriting times for France. The 6pm curfew and the closure of bistros and theatres have taken all the…
