Life
Bridge
There aren’t many instantly recognisable stars in the bridge world, but Andrew Robson is definitely one — as he was…
Scotch miss
This week, a tribute to the one major Scottish contribution to chess, the invention of the Scotch game, later to…
No. 333
White to play. This position is from Yu–Ganguly, Indonesia 2012. This encounter also started with the Scotch Game opening. Both…
Prose poem
In Competition No. 2866 you were invited to pick a well-known poem and write a short story with the same…
My hormones are all over the place. It must be the manopause
Women spend ten days a year in a grumpy mood, according to the Daily Mail. The top triggers include being…
Battle for Britain
Got something to add? Join the discussion and comment below.
Was the phrasing of the Scottish referendum question designed to create division?
It is a trick which often works on children. Do not tell them to eat vegetables; instead ask whether they…
Dear Mary: How can I sneak into a talk my son is giving without him seeing me?
Q. The Idler Academy is within walking distance of my house and I note from the programme of autumn events…
In praise of the Loire - cradle of civilisation, and wonderful wines
Rivers are the cradles of civilisation and the Loire is an outstanding example. It is one of the head-waters of…
Dot Wordsworth on language: Why do we call it ‘Islamic State’?
I’m puzzled by the dropping of the one part of the name of the Islamic State that seems certain. That…
For the love of the Loire
Rivers are the cradles of civilisation and the Loire is an outstanding example. It is one of the head-waters of…
The psychology of either/or
It is a trick which often works on children. Do not tell them to eat vegetables; instead ask whether they…
Wild life
England We dropped off our daughter Eve at her new school in the Midlands and started the long journey…
What is to be done about a world where everything is for sale?
Next time you read about an auctioneer’s gavel coming down on a $150 million painting bought by some flunkey representing…
A game of dominoes turns ugly
I’m round at Amy and Bill’s for Sunday afternoon tea. Amy and Bill are my in-laws, kind of. When I…
If the RSPCA can prosecute you, why shouldn't it take Freedom of Information requests?
After a rush of blood to the head, I decided it might be a good idea to ask some awkward…
Reasons for feeling Scottish
Sometimes I say I’m Scottish, a claim often greeted with understandable derision. I was born in England, in Hertfordshire, went…
When jockeys earn so little, temptation is not surprising
While Mrs Oakley was patrolling the aisles in Waitrose one day recently, I slipped off into my local betting shop.…
Bridge
Many top bridge players are also keen poker fans, and when a poker star infiltrates their backyard there is a…
Double trouble
The importance of pawn structure cannot be overestimated when planning chess strategy. Although Philidor (18th century) understood the importance of…
No. 332
White to play. This position is from Nimzowitsch-Rubinstein, Berlin 1928. White’s passed pawn and active pieces guarantee a winning advantage.…
Selfie
In Competition No. 2865 you were invited to compose a poet’s elegy for him or herself. This challenge took you…
2180: Superfluous
Each of nine clues contains a superfluous word. Initial letters of these words spell a word which can be read…
To 2177: Amaze
Songs by KATE BUSH include WUTHERING HEIGHTS, HAMMER HORROR, HOUNDS OF LOVE and CLOUDBUSTING in the perimeter, and (defined by…
My electrifying 'Führer Kontakt' with Alex Salmond
It was just after the Tory party conference last year that I met Alex Salmond. Not alone, obviously, but as…
