The beat goes on
It’s rare that I see a piece about music that makes me want to cheer from the rafters and shake…
Epitaph for a Star
A chance in a million: he was perfectly cast In the role of his own life, though he almost flipped…
Love-lies-bleeding
Of course the bride’s dog came to the wedding and was allotted a chair at the top table at which…
North Cornwall
In a documentary filmed at the end of his life, Sir John Betjeman, who lived in the village of Trebetherick…
Love-lies-bleeding
Of course the bride’s dog came to the wedding and was allotted a chair at the top table at which…
Chinese cracker
I have a particular affection for Chinese involvement in mind sports. In 1981 I was invited as the first western…
No. 370
Black to play. This position is a variation from Hou Yifan-Kramnik, Dortmund 2015. Black is a rook down. What does…
I can see a rainbow
In Competition No. 2905 you were invited to write a sonnet whose lines begin with the letters R,O,Y,G,B,I,V,V,I,B,G,Y,O,R, in that…
Your problems solved
Q. I am anxious about a forthcoming house party to which several people in my friendship group have been invited.…
Chelsea carnivores
The Maze Grill is on a sinister street in Chelsea, between a small Tesco — a boutique Tesco? — and…
One-nation economics
In his hastily scripted victory speech, David Cameron hit upon a mission that he wanted to define his remaining years…
High life
Wow, what a week. London may be bad for one’s health, but it sure makes it fun on the way…
Long life
The 1960s were already more than halfway over when I realised that I was living through what was supposed to…
Long life
The 1960s were already more than halfway over when I realised that I was living through what was supposed to…
Low life
After hitting me with the cancer diagnosis, the urologist offered me the choice of a longer life in exchange for…
Low life
After hitting me with the cancer diagnosis, the urologist offered me the choice of a longer life in exchange for…
Matajudíos
A village has changed its name because it seemed offensive. But I think the villagers were under a misapprehension. The…
Real life
Here is what I thought happened. I thought that as I tided my store room at the stables I put…
Kyrgios is surely just what tennis needs
Well thank heaven for Nick Kyrgios. The lavishly inked, blinged and barbered Aussie is quite one of the most thrilling…
True grit and pushy parents
I took my three boys for a cycle ride in Richmond Park on Sunday. Under normal circumstances, this would have…
True grit and pushy parents
I took my three boys for a cycle ride in Richmond Park on Sunday. Under normal circumstances, this would have…
Dettori’s double
Eclipse was one of the most remarkable racehorses ever. Sired by the then undistinguished Marske, whom mares could visit for…
Tsipras vs hubris
The EU finds it difficult to understand what drives the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Quite simply, he is a…
Barometer
Naming terror David Cameron and the BBC argued over what to call the terror group most papers refer to as…
