Bridge is a partnership game — but haven’t you sometimes wished you could file for a quick divorce mid-rubber? The problem is that however maddening your partner, if you try to give him a taste of his own medicine — by overbidding wildly, for instance, or ignoring his suit-preference signals — it would be like
The American grandmaster William Lombardy died last week (4 December 1937–13 October 2017). He was an amazing talent in his youth, winning the Junior World Championship of 1957 with a 100 per cent score. During the early 1960s Lombardy had the potential to rival the American genius Bobby Fischer, but he decided instead to abandon chess
In Competition No. 3020 you were invited to submit the formula for a successful marriage courtesy of a well-known husband or wife in literature. Some time ago, I challenged you to do the same on behalf of well-known poets, and if you like your advice brief and to the point, there’s always Ogden Nash’s
The unclued lights (one of two words and one hyphened) when preceded by a five–letter word are phrases listed in Brewer. Solvers have to locate and highlight this five-letter word which appears as an inverted L in the completed grid. Across 1 Enter the world with thick hair concealing head (5) 4 Abandons damaged
The paired unclued lights are food items which include a place-name. BATH and BUNS do double duty, BUNS is the plural and BRIGHTON ROCK is the literary reference. The pairs are 1A/22, 8/12, 8/14, 11/14, 13/33, 31A/25D, 38/37 and 39/30. First prize Leslie Mustoe, Hitchin, Herts Runners-up Sandra Speak, Dursley, Glos; Morris, Birchington, Kent
Black to play. This is from Sanal-Arnaudov, Antalya 2017. How did Black finish off the horribly exposed white king? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 24 October 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
