No one could have been more of an Olympic moaner than me. The past two-year countdown has left me seething with rage and resentment as we were asked totally to change our lives and basically stay home so that the dignitaries could whisk through London. Then came Danny Boyle’s Opening Ceremony and it seems the
In Competition No. 2757 you were invited to introduce a note of unwelcome reality into a song from a musical. Thanks to Brian Allgar for suggesting this corker of a competition, which attracted a large entry. You might have taken as your model ‘Pore Jud is Daid’ from Oklahoma!, which, as Josephine Boyle points out,
Six unclued lights are synonymous with one unclued light which, according to a quotation in ODQ, is 38 43 (five words). The key light is integral to the name of the quotation’s author, which must be highlighted. Across 1 Boats, bad in parts, seem abandoned (14, two words) 9 Joke about current revelry
LETHAL BITES (14 7) and BLITHE TALES (36 33) are possible results of the STORMING (19) of THE BASTILLE (an event commemorated on 14/7). Definitions of the components of the results are 23, 31, 11 and 8. First prize P. Langdale, London N10 Runners-up Alan Donovan, Croydon; John Light, Addlestone, Surrey
White to play. This position is from Keene-Anon, Simultaneous Display, Brighton College, 1995. What is White’s best chance to play for a win in this endgame? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 7 August or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct
