I was hounded by a canine sex pest
A big part of my problem is that I don’t understand why people do the things they do. I was…
Always trying: Britain’s most successful – and argumentative – trainer
An American trainer was once asked to name the greatest quality of the legendary jockey Willie Shoemaker. He replied: ‘The…
Bridge
I think my regular reader(s) would agree that I have been rather low-key about my bridge abilities of late. Defence…
Caruana chronicles
In the run-up to the Carlsen-Caruana World Championship match set for London in November, I will be previewing their prospects.…
no. 523
Black to play. This position is from Potkin-Caruana, Dagomys 2010. How did Caruana finish off with a flourish? Answers to…
All’s well that ends well
In Competition No. 3065 you were invited to supply a happy ending for a well-known play, poem or novel. …
2376: Somewhere XI
On 15 September somewhere bordered by 31 and 5, and whose capital is 40/10 (ignore an accent), celebrates its 43…
to 2373: Susurrus
The theme was The Wind in the Willows (suggested by the title). RATTY defined 9, 13 and 22; MOLE defined 7,…
Dr Toby’s booze advice: the better the wine, the less bad it is for you
I don’t hold out much hope for Drink Free Days, a new campaign launched by Public Health England and the…
Silicon Valley’s weird ideas on how to improve human life
Which is more diverse: London or Devon? That’s not a trick question. London is much more diverse than Devon. But…
Dear Mary: I had £300 stolen while at a friend’s house. Should I tell them?
Q. Following a small dinner last night in a private house, I got home to find £300 missing from my…
My host’s reciprocity was almost embarrassingly generous
Peace came dropping slow. I have never regarded west Flanders as part of la France profonde, but here we were,…
The origin and nature of teacakes
The Sunday Telegraph has been running a correspondence on the origin and nature of teacakes. One reader averred that in…
Stolen land? Tell that to the Berbers
Last month, Greens Senator Dr Mehreen Faruqi spoke some of the most misguided and divisive words heard in parliament in…
Upsetting Maggie
I had certainly not intended to upset Margaret Thatcher when I joined the Times in 1987 but when we met…
Brown study
These days, a trip to Sydney is a great adventure for me and, as our all-wise government has abolished the…
Sovereignty is sacred
Increasingly, many if not most Australian, British, American and other Western politicians have been imposing policies the people would never…
Latham’s law
‘So where the bloody hell are you?’ Lara Bingle beseeched overseas travellers in Scott Morrison’s successful 2006 television ad. Morrison…
Toasting Brexit
When Yes, Prime Minister’s Sir Humphrey explained in 1986 to his PM that the determination of the British Foreign Office…
Wizards of Oz revisiting UK
Late in 1969 in Australian ports I was one of the many deck officers in the merchant navy in a…
Evita and Che
‘The people adore me/ So, Christian Dior me’ is just one of the many witty and pointed couplets written by…
The Spectator Anglo-Australia Forum
The Aussie sun shone down over a glistening Sydney harbour only metres from where the First Fleet landed back in…
Turnbull’s political suicide
The Canberra press gallery can’t work out why their favourite Liberal is no longer prime minister because they have almost…
Australian Letters
Perhaps Sir: The editorial marking the 10th anniversary of the Australian edition (September 8) salutes the leading contributors. Less than…
