Life
Battle for Britain
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London classic
The annual London Classic is now underway at Olympia. Understandably Magnus Carlsen, after his exertions in New York, is not…
Chess puzzle
Black to play. This position is from Topalov-Nakamura, St Louis 2014. Black seems to be in big trouble, but how…
The answers
Say so 1. Theresa May 2. David Cameron (overheard on air, speaking to the Queen) 3. Jeremy Corbyn 4. Stephen…
Puzzles from GCHQ
Solving serious puzzles — to catch criminals and thwart terrorist plots — is what the men and women who work…
Christmas Quiz
Say so In 2016, who said: 1. ‘Brexit means Brexit.’ 2. ‘We’ve got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries…
Let’s twist
In Competition No. 2977 you were invited to submit a Christmas carol with a topical twist. ‘In the bleak midwinter’…
Celebrity Dear Mary
From Rt Hon Gisela Stuart MP Q. I keep getting into arguments with people about what being a Labour MP…
Wines of the times
The other day, I had lunch with the grandest person I know. Forget 1066: Adrian Ziani de Ferranti can trace…
Wiltons wonderland
I have agonised over this Christmas review. I ate the Christmas lunch at Harveys Nichols 5th Floor Restaurant, Knightsbridge, next…
High life
Here we go again, my 40th Christmas column in a row, and it seems only two weeks ago that I…
Long life
While American conservatives, including Donald Trump and the Cuban exiles in Florida, whooped with joy at the news of the…
Long life
While American conservatives, including Donald Trump and the Cuban exiles in Florida, whooped with joy at the news of the…
Low life
We’re driving east, destination Grasse. Hairpin bends circling oak-clad hills. Autumn gold and scarlet. Exciting cambers. Blinding winter sunshine. The…
Low life
We’re driving east, destination Grasse. Hairpin bends circling oak-clad hills. Autumn gold and scarlet. Exciting cambers. Blinding winter sunshine. The…
Yeah
My husband has an irritating habit of holding his hymn book open at the right page but obviously not referring…
Real life
‘Right, this is it,’ I said to the builder boyfriend. ‘I am going to knock on the door of next…
Ten questions of sport
1. Can anyone explain why England wore dark blue, not white, for the autumn international against Argentina, just as they…
Who will rid me of this turbulent beast?
I’m keeping my eyes peeled for one of those billboards saying ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’…
Who will rid me of this turbulent beast?
I’m keeping my eyes peeled for one of those billboards saying ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’…
The turf
It is a long time since I spent a morning on the gallops with the footballer-turned-racehorse trainer Mick Channon (he…
The turf
It is a long time since I spent a morning on the gallops with the footballer-turned-racehorse trainer Mick Channon (he…
The rich aren’t so different any more
The traditional orange at the bottom of a Christmas stocking dates to a time when this was the only orange…
Wild life
Kenya I realised I had fallen from grace when we were dropped from the Queen’s birthday party guest list at…
Bridge
Simon Cochemé, whose witty column appears monthly in English Bridge magazine, celebrated his 70th birthday with a knees-up and duplicate…
