Bridge
Couples that play together stay together is not a mantra you hear too often in the bridge world. Indeed most…
Carlsen’s special brew
Magnus Carlsen has added another trophy to his cabinet by taking the honours at the Grenke tournament in Baden Baden,…
No. 350
White to play. This is from Anand v Kramnik, Zurich Rapidplay 2015. White has two ways to win this position,…
As you liken it
In Competition No. 2885 you were invited to write a sonnet beginning ‘Shall I compare thee to a [trisyllable of…
2199: TV Comedy
Fourteen solutions begin with the same letter as their clues. These letters in order are the initial letters of the…
To 2196: Diverse
The quotation around the perimeter is from 25 — varieties of French cheese are highlighted. First prize Hugh Aplin,…
How do you define tax avoidance?
The trouble is, there’s no distinction between the spirit and the letter of the law
Little teams mean a lot
England should be grateful not to be facing Holland again – but we should all be thankful for Ireland, Scotland, Afghanistan and UAE
Dear Mary
Plus: More means of avoiding first-name terms with call centres, and another technique for seeing off night intruders
Beyond the Wall’s
The atmosphere is hushed and very masculine. The men are concentrating on their food
Dodgy
If it doesn’t remind people of Roger the Dodger or Jammie Dodgers, the word might bring to mind Alastair Campbell’s Dodgy Dossier
Fair maiden
It goes without saying that when one of our most popular columnists, Peter Coleman, instructs his band of loyal readers…
Australian notes
There were no milling TV crews or reporters at Peter Costello’s launch last week in Melbourne of the new edition…
The harlot throughout the ages
The commentariat, not the army, have staged this latest coup in our banana republic
Australian diary
I blame the BBQ ribs. Rowan Dean, Peter Van Onselen, Troy Bramston and I had just finished a great dinner…
Black humour
The non-PC work of playwright Nakkiah Lui draws inspiration and laughter from dark events in her past
Paying lip service to the Holocaust
Commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz expose the hypocrisy of the United Nations
Freedom of speech, but…
The killings in Copenhagen offer the perfect illustration of why you cannot appease on free speech
Abbott and the Gumbys
Tony Abbott could learn a lot from John Key, including getting rid of lacklustre ministers
Australian letters
Japanese numbers Sir I refer to the article No Aussie Knighthood for Winston (31 January). Whilst I agree with the…
Annie’s Fish
It hangs, a mobile in the stairwell, always in motion however slight. Each silver scale as it sparkles there a…
Annie’s Fish
It hangs, a mobile in the stairwell, always in motion however slight. Each silver scale as it sparkles there a…
Beyond the Wall’s
I think Rowley’s is the perfect restaurant; but I am really a gay man. Rowley’s is at 113 Jermyn Street…
