Tale of the expected
A starry cast cannot rescue this Roald Dahl adaptation, which sees Richard Curtis combine the implausible with the entirely foreseeable
Serial killer
Plus: I hate the current storylines on The Archers but am listening more avidly than ever
High life
If the trigger warnings are to be believed those of a sensitive disposition should avoid The Great Gatsby
Low life
I expected to be pushing up the daisies in 2014, but it was a year of stubborn good health and, well, euphoria
Real life
Posting a letter through your neighbour’s door in anger could ruin your marriage prospects
Bridge
It’s surprising how many perfectly good bridge players lack confidence when it comes to squeeze plays. They seem to think…
Ave et vale
2014 was the year in which Magnus Carlsen confirmed his position as world champion, and also the year in which…
No. 343
White to play. This position is from Caruana–Ponomariov, Dortmund 2014. The structure is symmetrical but White’s pieces are very active.…
New year haiku
In Competition No. 2878 you were invited to submit a poem composed of three haikus that looks forward to the…
2192: Never again
Eight unclued lights are of a kind; as is, fancifully, the ninth. Across 6 Hurry up to fill space with…
To 2190: Petra
‘ROCK OF AGES CLEFT FOR ME’ (1D/19) is a work by AUGUSTUS TOPLADY (18/13). ELIZABETH WINDSOR (4A/26) and MICHELLE OBAMA…
This year, I’m keeping my ambitions modest
Bringing the Tories and Ukip together to nix a Labour victory at the general election proved beyond me
What Miliband needs is a grilled tomato
Plus: Miliband could solve all his problems by appointing Ed Balls to be his grilled tomato
Sonoma survivor
Knowing Californians, a hasty and impatient lot, we can be sure that a lot of this is drunk far too young
The sordid state of voting for the Senate
Thanks to a foolish Bob Hawke decision, our constitution now allows shady backroom deals to determine the Upper House
Deadly notes
‘The Aussies work out everythin’ backwards,’ says Wilson the Texan in Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead, and there’s…
The ABC deprives us of quality content
It is because of the ABC, not in spite of it, that the networks produce such low brow telly
Culture buff
I’m a bit perplexed about a current Christmas (perhaps I should say Xmas) craze. This is not a moan from…
