Life
Benko’s endgame
The Hungarian/American grandmaster Pal Benko has died at the age of 91. Among his numerous distinguished achievements was his double qualification…
No. 571
White to play. This position is from Benko-Jeney, Budapest 1950. Benko has just sacrificed rook for knight. What is his…
Fabulous
In Competition No. 3115 you were invited to submit a fable for the 21st century, complete with moral. James Michie,…
2425: Herein
The unclued lights (two individually, both of two words, one an abbreviation, and five pairs) are of a kind. One…
to 2422: 40 furlongs
The unclued Across lights are words abbreviated by F which includes ‘40’ and the unclued Down lights are abbreviated by f…
How John Bercow saved me from Short Man Syndrome
I think my colleagues on the pro-Brexit side of the aisle have been a little unkind in their response to…
The Battle for Britain
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Business is the only area of human activity where you get paid to change your mind
In 1891, a 29-year-old man moved from Philadelphia to Chicago intending to start a business. With $32 to his name,…
Dear Mary: How do we explain being in Jeffrey Epstein’s little black book?
Q. We often have friends coming to stay before (and after) we all head off for Glyndebourne, a 20-minute drive…
Claret, dogs and nothing to grouse about
What do you get if you cross a dyslexic, an insomniac and an agnostic? Someone who wakes up at 4…
When did ‘big girl’s blouse’ become an insult?
Fotherington-Thomas was introduced by Nigel Molesworth, the narrator of Down with Skool!, in 1953: ‘As you see he is skipping…
My soulmate Brian Sewell
Romy Somerset is the sweetest, nicest young girl in London. She’s also my goddaughter and I remember, during her christening…
The mysterious ways of the French
These new tablets that will save or at least prolong my life have unpredictable side effects which only now, a…
How it feels to be the only Brexiteers in the village
We are the only Brexiteers in the village. That, at least, is how it feels. Out they come, the far…
Bridge
Benjaminised Acol, better known as ‘Benji Acol’ — and its variant ‘Reverse Benji’ — is one of the most commonly…
Ding an sich
Ding Liren, the Chinese grandmaster, has scored a career best in the Classical time limit section of the Grand Tour…
no. 570
Black to play. This is from Carlsen-Ding, St Louis 2019. The black pieces are converging on the white king but…
Home delivery
In Competition No. 3114 you were invited to submit estate agents’ details in the style of a well-known author. …
2424: Poem V
1A (four words) and 44 (four words) are quotations from the first verse of a poem (in ODQ). Five remaining…
to 2421: Tina
Fats WALLER (5), who has been called ‘THE BLACK HOROWITZ’ (40/37/1A), was born in NEW YORK (28) and died in…
The political pact that could save Brexit
If there is to be an election before we leave the European Union, some kind of non-aggression pact between the…
The Battle for Britain
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Will Ben Stokes be the greatest cricketer of all time?
Feeling depressed about politics? I hope not. Politicians don’t shape the world: they are the furniture movers, not the furniture…
Dear Mary: How much should I tip a black cab driver?
Q. We have near neighbours in the country with whom I would not wish to fall out for all sorts…
I wouldn’t suggest you eat here, but I doubt there’s a better place to drop acid: Camelot Castle reviewed
The Camelot Castle Hotel is a pebble-dashed late-Victorian excrescence on a cliff. It overlooks the ruins of Tintagel Castle. A…
