Life
Nativism
The title of America’s first woman bishop was claimed in 1918 by Bishop Alma White, leader of the Pillar of…
Real life
A few moments after saying the communion rite, the priest looked at his congregation and uttered easily the most disturbing…
Why we need more universities
In 1961, shortly after getting a job as a lecturer at Cambridge, my father had an idea. The faculty buildings,…
Why we need more universities
In 1961, shortly after getting a job as a lecturer at Cambridge, my father had an idea. The faculty buildings,…
Making work for ourselves
In 1929 John Maynard Keynes predicted that by 2029 people in the developed nations could enjoy a perfectly civilised standard…
Wild life
We had my parents-in-law Gerry and Jean to stay with us on the farm over Christmas and being in a…
Bridge
There’s a bit of a ruckus going on in the bridge world at the moment; a lot of people are…
The Battle for Britain
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Bridge
Simon Gillis’s team has had a very successful year. They won the Gold Cup (for the second time), they joined…
Missed chances
Magnus Carlsen has retained the World Championship but only after Sergei Karjakin, the challenger, missed some glorious opportunities. In game…
no. 438
White to play. This is from Carlsen–Karjakin, New York play-off (Game 4) 2016. What was Carlsen’s stunning move to retain…
Take five
In Competition No. 2979 you were invited to supply your contribution to a series of parodies of Enid Blyton’s Famous…
2291: Seriously?
In ten clues, the wordplay omits one of the letters of the solution. These letters in the grid, read row…
to 2289: I don’t believe it!
The unclued lights are expressions meaning NEVER (3A, 4D+43A, 21D+14D, 37A+1D and 37A+15D). First prize Hilary James, London W5Runners-up David…
Dear Mary
Q. I have bought a second-floor flat which comes with a bow-shaped balcony which overlooks a communal garden. My problem…
Garden variety
Margot is an Italian restaurant on Great Queen Street in the still interesting part of Covent Garden. The uninteresting part…
High life
Gstaad New Year’s Eve was a Rhapsody in Blue, with a clarinet glissando that promised joys to come, and the…
Long life
The past year has been tumultuous, full of upheaval and tragedy, but my chickens have been spared it all. Indeed,…
Low life
On the Monday before Christmas, the black dog came around again and I couldn’t get out of bed. I lay…
Americanisms
Here are eight invasive Americanisms to continue annoying us in 2017. Running for office. Liz Kendall was ‘running for the…
Real life
The most annoying thing about starting a new year is how long it takes for everyone to crank themselves back…
Unimpressed by the Root cause
Those who occupy them sometimes say that the only two jobs that matter in England are Chief of the Defence…
Why meritocrats are the new aristocrats
After Sir Stafford Northcote and Sir Charles Trevelyan completed their report on civil service reform in 1854, in which they…
The turf
The biggest oohs and aahs on the entertainment scene this winter were nothing to do with the ‘He’s behind you…
The Battle for Britain
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