Life
Bronze in Batumi
The hammering downpour before the last round in Batumi was, in retrospect, a precious omen. After all, England’s medal drought…
no. 579
Black to play. Erwin l’Ami–Luke McShane, Batumi, 2019. The pawn on e6 looks powerful, but White’s king is more vulnerable…
Station to station
In Competition No. 3123 you were invited to submit a poem that begins ‘By Waterloo Station I sat down and…
2433: House and garden
Across unclued lights (one of two words) combine with down ones to suggest the surnames of four famous English painters;…
to 2430: Petite traveller
On 19 October John le Carré turned eighty-eight (hinted at by TWO FAT LADIES (19/26/20)). His real forenames are DAVID…
40 years on, Life of Brian has made the world a darker place
I went to the Battle of Ideas at the Barbican last weekend, a free speech festival organised by the Brexit…
The Battle for Britain
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How veganism became mainstream
I have just returned from Canada, which seems to share Britain’s new-found obsession with veganism. There, chains such as Burger…
Dear Mary: how can I stop my dad treating my mum like a slave?
Q. Dad takes an old-fashioned approach to marriage: I have never seen him clear his plate and he does not…
The delights of Spanish wine – and art
First, an apology. In my last column, I appeared to be saying that good champagne does not age. This must…
What’s the different between ‘while’ and ‘whilst’?
‘Why is whilst only ever used in letters?’ asked my husband, casting aside an argumentative letter from his sister written…
![[Photo: debyaho]](https://www.spectator.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2Novhighlife.jpg?w=410&h=275&crop=1)
Alcohol is the perfect cure for deafness
New York A busy ten days, or nights rather, with some heroic drinking thrown in for good measure. Hangovers…
My journey to the heart of prehistoric England
‘Can I get a taxi around here?’ The man standing behind the counter of the convenience store looked at the…
![[Photo: middelveld]](https://www.spectator.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2Novreallife.jpg?w=410&h=275&crop=1)
I’m getting another horse — but it’s not for me
Sitting on the train to Surrey, I was halfway home and texted the builder boyfriend to say when I would…
![Tiny Rowland, 1991 [Business Collection/Shutterstock]](https://www.spectator.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2Novwildlife.jpg?w=410&h=275&crop=1)
The man with the inside story on Tiny Rowland
Kenya At his house on Kenya’s coast our neighbour Paul Spicer kept a photograph of himself as quite a…
Bridge
Peter Fredin may not be the best bridge player in the world, but he gets my vote for the most…
Seizing the moment
‘If the ball came loose from the back of the scrum, which it won’t of course…,’ said Boris, about his…
no. 578
White to play. Dahl-Kolbus; Isle of Man, 2019. In this game between two Manx players, White had promoted a pawn…
Much have I travelled
In Competition No. 3122, to mark the demise of the 178-year-old travel company, you were invited to submit a poem…
2432: Getting dry
Unclued lights (one of two words) give an event, its organiser, some participants, its winners, and the prizes. Across…
to 2429: Homo
The unclued lights are linked with MAN (at 7A). AXE and AGE were also allowed at 40A. Thanks to various…
Universities don’t need to be lectured about racism
I’ve been contacted by a professor at a leading Russell Group university who is worried about the spread of progressive…
The Battle for Britain
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Seven things we’ve learned from the rugby World Cup
New Zealanders can teach the world a lot about sportsmanship. Steve Hansen after last Saturday’s All Blacks defeat by England…
Dear Mary: Is my brother being gaslighted by his boss?
Q. My brilliant brother, who graduated last year, could find nowhere to live in London so we were all delighted…
