Martin Hoffman is a hero. Now in his eighties, he can still analyse a hand faster than most people can sort their cards and he still plays at the speed of light. For many years he was considered the best Pairs player in the world, splitting his time between Florida and London where he played
Mark Hall, curator of the Perth Museum, has recently drawn attention to the proliferation of board games in Viking burials. One site on the island of Rousay in the Orkneys, dating back to the 9th century, contains 25 board game pieces, while a similar site at Sanday, 25 miles to the north-east, has 22 playing pieces. Mr.
In Competition No. 2959 you were invited to submit a poem on a political theme entitled ‘May day’. There was a good turnout, but the mood was overwhelmingly bleak despite the efforts of a relentlessly optimistic few, Tim Raikes and Alanna Blake among them. But there was much to admire, including a neat riff from
In eight clues, cryptic -indications omit reference to parts of answers; these parts must be highlighted, to reveal two words. Two unclued lights are definitions of the first word; the second word defines each of six unclued lights. Across 11 Mineral, concrete and stone around (7) 12 Insane broadcast in colour (6) 16
Answers to clues in italics are Clockwise (16), mondial (25), smugly (26), mushroomed (15) and pantable (32), each of which is subjected to LOSS OF FACE (8) to produce grid entries defined by, respectively, 4, 11, 1D, 30 and 39. First prize Tim Hanks, Douglas, Isle of Man Runners-up John Kitchen, Breachwood Green, Herts;
White to play. This position is from Olafsson-Tal, Moscow 1971. How did White finish off? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 9 August or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for
