Life
No. 673
White to play. This was a variation which could arise in the game R. Pert–M. Parligras, Manx Liberty Masters 2021.…
Sally Rooney on steroids
To lessen the side effects of chemotherapy I am prescribed a corticosteroid. I take a whopping dose around the treatment…
2523: Monstrous regiment - solution
The unclued Across lights can be preceded by MISS and the unclued Down lights. MRS 2/15D is the pair. First…
England’s shameful betrayal of Pakistan
Any English person with a love of cricket knows life has its ups and downs. But until now we have…
The thrill of running late
‘Dad, why is it that whenever we go anywhere, we’re always running to catch a train?’ asked Charlie, my 13-year-old.…
Dear Mary: How do I get rid of my terrible cleaner?
Q. I have recently become a widow. Since my son is away at university, I had the idea of charging…
The real Greek: Lemonia reviewed
Lemonia lives in the old Chalk Farm Tavern in Primrose Hill, which is better known as the set of Paddington.…
We are in a perfect storm of perfect storms
When my husband’s whisky glass fell off the little table next to his chair on to next door’s cat, which…
The Battle for Britain | 2 October 2021
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Aussie Life
Not everyone was as pleased as most Australians were to learn about our historic new defence pact with the UK…
Aussie Language
Just published is Testosterone: The Story of the Hormone that Dominates and Divides Us by Harvard biologist Carole Hooven. She…
The problem with ‘bame’
In its coverage of the shuffled cabinet, the BBC added a note: ‘BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) is a…
Our farm is a haven for lost souls
Laikipia He was turned out in a crisp bush ranger’s uniform and handled his assault rifle like a man hardened…
Bridge | 25 September 2021
The first serious F2F bridge tournament we have played for almost two years was the Premier League last weekend. Whatever…
My wife is caught in a web of fear
Even in my shed at the bottom of the garden I can hear the screams coming from the house. Shrieks…
2522: A trifle - solution
Unclued lights were synonyms of NOTHING. ‘A trifle’ is one definition of nothing given in Chambers. First prize James Knox,…
Spectator competition winners: ‘Why must it always be tomato soup?’
In Competition No. 3217, you were invited to supply a poem that begins or ends with the line ‘Why must…
2525: Prime Times
Elements of four symmetrically disposed unclued lights confirm the 5 Down. Enumerations indicate lengths of clues’ ‘full’ solutions. Across…
No. 672
Black to play. J. Polgar — Gaprindashvili, Novi Sad Olympiad 1990. Gaprindashvili’s next move prompted immediate resignation. What did she…
The wonder of Lebanese wine
In the Levant, the grape has been cultivated for millennia, some of it used for wine. The hills of Lebanon…
How do we calculate the value of a painting?
There’s an intriguing conversation on YouTube between Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of England, and the artist Damien…
Dear Mary: How do I stop my grey-haired friend giving away my true age?
Q. I never lie about my age but I try not to think — or talk — about it. Now…
Nona vs Netflix
Last year’s Netflix mini-series The Queen’s Gambit hit all the right notes. For the neophytes, it was quirky and intriguing.…
The Battle for Britain | 25 September 2021
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Why I’m touchy about being asked what I do for a living
In former times I had acquaintances of long standing, or even friends, who never once asked what I did for…
