Low life
I suspect my friend Trev of being a follower of Malamatiyya — a Sufi sect that does good deeds in secret and bad ones in the open
Real life
'You can't have your money back because of this, that and the other, and something-or-other about something else...'
Talking dirty
Riders have been known to spit out dentures, bark like dogs and seize a rival's testicles — all to gain a racing edge
Bridge
First up, HNY to one and all and especially my regular reader (no, not you mummy) John Hinde, who wrote…
Different paths
Daniel Johnson, Dominic Lawson and Tim Congdon all had the potential to become chess masters. However, all three chose alternative routes,…
No. 296
White to play. This position is a variation from Congdon–‘Heinsius’, online game 2014. White has a ferocious attack and now…
Culture shock?
In Competition 2829 you were invited to imagine what Philip Larkin might have made of the news that Hull has…
2144: Leonids
1D is the title of a work minus a word that is suggested by three further unclued lights. Other unclued…
to 2142: Wintry
Extra letters in clues give ‘wrapped in wild snow’, a quotation from a poem by ALEXANDER BLOK (10). Partially indicated…
Giving it all up
Without drink, I can work harder, sleep better, and feel more in control. But how will I cope with the boredom?
Meet the parents
Woolley Grange Hotel is full of old toys, dogs practising camouflage near rugs, and bottle warmers
Diary
‘A bunch of Y-front wearing pansies’ is how one of my conservative friends describes the Abbott government. It’s an interesting…
Australian Notes
John Howard tells the story about a public meeting organised by the Women’s Electoral Lobby back in 1974 when he…
Climate change jokers
They call it the silly season, when not much is happening in politics, so far-fetched yarns and preposterous anecdotes get…
Hubris and humiliation
How to account for the collapse of the English cricket team? Hint: it has little to do with Aussie brilliance
A king hit to common sense
Blame permissive society, not simply booze, for the violence and bloodshed on our streets
The persecution of Cory
Cory Bernardi’s book is a reminder of the traditional values that made Australia and inspired earlier generations to fight for…
Brown Study
To let one ship become embedded in Antarctic ice that was supposed to be melting might be understandable. But to…
Sins of omission
Georgians Revealed: Life, Style and the Making of Modern Britain at the British Library (until 11 March) would have you…
