There have been a lot of frantically close finishes in the big English tournaments recently. In the semi-final of the Gold Cup, the de Botton team edged the Norwegian Tøndel team by just one IMP (and went on to win the event). The Crockford’s Cup was even closer. Nick Irens and his team lost the
Viswanathan Anand, the world champion from Chennai (formerly known as Madras), defends his world title in a $5 million match in his home town in November against Magnus Carlsen. The venue will be the five-star Hyatt Hotel. This week, in my occasional series previewing the championship, I give a fine win by Anand against an
In Competition 2802 you were invited to supply a poem on the subject of your choice in which the final letter of each line becomes the first letter of the next line. As usual with this type of technical challenge, strenuous accusations of sadism were directed judge-wards: many entrants echoed Brian Allgar’s sentiments below.
Definitions in nineteen clues are unreliable. In each of ten there is a superfluous letter, and from each of the other nine a letter is missing. Superfluous and missing letters, taken in clue order, spell four words of a quotation (in ODQ) by 9 (two words). The quotation’s next word is an unclued light which
Unclued lights are TYROS. Corrections of misprints (including one in the title) give the alternative title ROOKIES. First prize E. Hogg, London SW13 Runners-up Paul Jenkinson, Zollikon, Switzerland; C.S.G. Elengorn, Enfield, Middlesex
White to play. This position is the conclusion of a study by M Botvinnik & S Kaminer. How does White finish off? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 25 June or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct answer out of a
