Bridge
Bridge has always been a game of highs and lows, but what happened to Janet de Botton and her partner…
Polymath
I learn from The Problemist, the organ of the British Chess Problem Society, that the polymath Dr Jacob Bronowski also…
No. 357
Black to play. This is from Cochrane-Staunton, London 1842. How did Staunton exploit his menacing build up of pieces on…
Consequences
In Competition No. 2892 you were invited to submit an irregular quatrain in which you bring together two people from…
2206: Landslip
Four of the unclued lights (one of two words) and an unclued pair are of a kind, and can become…
To 2203: Peeping toms
The theme is CATS; the unclued Across lights are breeds of cats and unclued Down lights and TOPCAT (which had…
Miliband vs Millwall
I expect victory to go to the side that makes the fewest mistakes. And I reckon that’s my one
Why plane crashes are getting weirder
As the obvious fixes are found, we discover less and less likely ways that things can go wrong
A rum encounter
A drink to make you understand Treasure Island’s pirates — and a tasting with Ranald Macdonald
Brown study
You will be distressed to hear that I have recently been in the hands of the doctors. However, there is…
Pollie Pedal diary
The twin-engine turbo-prop lands in a downpour, skidding to a halt outside the terminal. ‘We haven’t seen rain like this…
Hounds or poodles?
On the ongoing Speccie debate - when should conservative commentators attack Abbott (if at all?)
Australian letters
Fraser’s Folly Sir: Thoroughly enjoyed the tributes to Mr Fraser (Spectator Australia 28 March). So Peaches has his trousers; I…
Hollywood notes
I have directed 13 feature films in the US and now, for the first time, have shot one in Los…
Culture buff
Writers’ Festivals may well be taking over the world. Worse things could happen but their expanding scale and level of…
Australian notes
The mystique of Anzac Day has always been a challenge to historians. The troops of several countries at Gallipoli fought…
Year of ideas
‘Today, I say very clearly, Labor will support reform which is fair. Labor will fight reform which is unfair,’ said…
