Life
to 2118: Unreliable
Eight unclued lights are EXPERTS (24), whom — according to the words of LORD SALISBURY (9) supplied by superfluous and…
The saddest discovery of middle age: I can get by without my old friends
A few years ago, I got the shock of my life when a girl I was sitting next to at…
Dave
Got something to add? Join the discussion and comment below.
Spectator sport: Why Andy Murray may be the greatest sportsman Britain has produced
There’s nothing we old folk like more than a chat about how poorly all our friends and acquaintances are. This…
Dear Mary: How can I stop friends from coming to my book launch?
Q. I have far too many friends to be able to invite them all to my forthcoming book launch. How…
Tanya Gold eats suckling pig at Le Café Anglais
I write this column at the point of a pitchfork. A, normally so placid — ‘He’s so placid!’ people like…
Transparency
On 21 June 1785, James Woodforde was in Norwich and in the evening went to Bunns pleasure gardens, where ‘there…
The day of the pig
I write this column at the point of a pitchfork. A, normally so placid — ‘He’s so placid!’ people like…
Murray’s mountain
There’s nothing we old folk like more than a chat about how poorly all our friends and acquaintances are. This…
Taki: why would anyone want 72 virgins? They're useless in bed
The long lazy summer is upon us, and as I walk the Swiss hills below the mountain ranges my thoughts…
Jeremy Clarke: 'Can you part your cheeks a bit?’ I did so. There was a stunned silence
Sir Francis Drake died of dysentery while attacking the town of San Juan in Puerto Rico. He was buried at…
Real life: My handsome builder ex-boyfriend shows me how to buy a car
The sometime builder boyfriend spotted the Volvo on his way to a roofing job in Dorking. He rang me greatly…
Long life: The curse of the black tie
I seem to have been steeped in opera lately. First there was Ariadne auf Naxos at Glyndebourne, then Peter Grimes…
Royal Ascot triumph: Johnny Murtagh is the best trainer riding
Ginger Rogers, clever girl, did everything that Fred Astaire did — but she did it backwards. I am looking backwards…
Bridge
Zia Mahmood has never been the most punctual man — but I wonder whether he’ll ever be late for a…
Anand’s crisis
A disturbing pattern has emerged in the games of world champion Viswanathan Anand. As White in the Ruy Lopez he…
no. 273
Black to play. This position is from the game Nimzowitsch-Tarrasch, St Petersburg 1914. With both bishops trained on White’s king,…
Rhyme time
In Competition 2804 you were invited to supply a poem containing as many ingenious rhymes as possible. Ogden Nash, one…
2120: Urban – or what?
The unclued lights (one of two words) are of a specific kind. Ignore all accents. Across 1 H-E-X? (5)…
to 2117: Highlands and islands
The twenty-two lochs which did not fit into the grid are, in order of their appearance in the story: Ainort,…
Our house was burgled as we watched The Fall
Caroline and I were watching The Fall in our front room when the intruder entered our house. Not great timing…
Dave
Got something to add? Join the discussion and comment below.
Why I’m hiring graduates with thirds this year
Whenever I return to my old university, I am always struck by how incredibly focused, purposeful and studious everyone seems…
Dear Mary: How can I stop my friends giving me Christmas presents?
Q. Over the years my close friends locally have been giving each other birthday and Christmas presents. Now, as I…
Mourning Julia Gillard with the greatest wine ever to come out of Australia
My Australian friend was in mourning over the removal of Julia Gillard, the country’s first female prime minister. She had…
