Life
These heartless Europhile snobs
One of the interesting features of the Brexit debate is that it has laid bare a schism in British society…
Twelve to follow
It has been a little like scraping from the plate as slowly as possible the last traces of Mrs Oakley’s…
Twelve to follow
It has been a little like scraping from the plate as slowly as possible the last traces of Mrs Oakley’s…
Bridge
It’s the beginning of May and I have a feeling I am about to write the same opening sentence as…
Hearing that 60 is the new 40 makes me want to punch the nearest octagenarian
New York I went downtown to Katz’s the other day and had a pastrami sandwich that made me want…
French labour laws should come with a health warning
The tourist information office of the small French country town looked closed. Peering between the posters on the window glass,…
Welcome to the only house left in south-east England that hasn’t been chavved up
Buffy Sainte-Marie said it best. ‘The lights of town are at my back, my heart is full of stars./ And…
Bridge
I’ve been practising bidding online with my friend Guy Hart in preparation for the Spring Fours in Stratford (we’ll know…
Out of the book
Last week we saw the reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen taking a leaf from Alekhine’s book to destroy eccentric opening…
No. 407
White to play. This is from Pacher-Radnai, Budapest 2016. How did White exploit a tactical opportunity to make a decisive…
Post mortem
In Competition No. 2946 you were invited to supply a verse obituary of a well-known person who has died in…
2259: Eco
The unclued lights (one of two words) can be preceded by the same word which is hidden in the completed…
To 2256: 11 x 11
The unclued lights reveal ELEVEN (five English and six Scottish) league football teams (3/38, 4/1D, 10, 14, 18, 18/28, 19,…
If the Sats-strike parents get their way only the poorer kids will suffer
Tuesday’s protest against Key Stage 1 Sats was moronic on so many levels that it’s hard to know where to…
Battle for Britain
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Why it makes sense to buy your banker lunch
We recently moved -offices from Canary Wharf to Blackfriars bridge. When you move after a long time in one place,…
Dear Mary: My doctor keeps asking me for advice on selling furniture
Q. I know it’s a gaffe to ask a doctor for medical advice at a party, but what is the…
The wonders of white Burgundy
I promised a return to Burgundy and the 2014 vintage, which becomes no less impressive when recollected in tranquillity. We…
The dirty jokes that tell us how Shakespeare spoke
Sir John Harington told a story in 1596 about a lady at court asking her gentlewoman to inquire which Mr…
Battle for Britain
Got something to add? Join the discussion and comment below.
Out of the book
Last week we saw the reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen taking a leaf from Alekhine’s book to destroy eccentric opening…
No. 407
White to play. This is from Pacher-Radnai, Budapest 2016. How did White exploit a tactical opportunity to make a decisive…
Post mortem
In Competition No. 2946 you were invited to supply a verse obituary of a well-known person who has died in…
Your problems solved
Q. I know it’s a gaffe to ask a doctor for medical advice at a party, but what is the…
White mischief
I promised a return to Burgundy and the 2014 vintage, which becomes no less impressive when recollected in tranquillity. We…
