Puzzles & games

Bridge

Bridge | 28 April 2016

The day before the London Marathon, Young Chelsea BC held its spring half-marathon. Eighty-seven boards were played over 12 hours (it used to be a full 24 hours), the scoring was IMPs and 30 pairs took part. It was won by Colin Simpson and David Kendrick, two extremely good players with donkey’s years experience behind

Chess

Evolution

World champion Magnus Carlsen takes much inspiration from the games of the former champion Emanuel Lasker. Lasker and Carlsen share the ability to manoeuvre at length in approximately level positions, without letting the situation dry up and become devoid of winning prospects. Such a style does not always lead to attractive games, and some of

Competition

Exit strategy

In Competition No. 2945 you were invited to suggest remarks guaranteed to get rid of a guest who is outstaying his or her welcome. Leading the pack as surefire ways to get lingering guests reaching for their coats were birth videos, Estonian whisky, Stockhausen, didgeridoo recitals and Rolf Harris’s greatest hits. Also popular were suggestions

Crossword

2258: Perimetrical jigsaw

Clues are listed in alphabetical order of their solutions. An 11-word quotation runs around the perimeter from the top left-hand corner. Four thematic clued answers need highlighting, as does a thematic name (7) in the completed grid.   Not looking well, with a scar and spasm? (10) Gossip’s husband abandoning visit (4) Always home for

Crossword solution

To 2255: In the pink

Oscar WILDE (35) described hunting as THE UNSPEAKABLE IN FULL PURSUIT OF THE UNEATABLE (1A, 14, 30, 42), and the huntsmen are John PEEL (12), JORROCKS (R.S. Surtees) (19) and Siegfried SASSOON (Memoirs of a Foxhunting Man) (28). First prize Heather Weeks, Hove, East Sussex Runners-up Hilda Ball, Belfast; Hugh Thomas, Ixworth, Suffolk

Puzzles

No. 406

White to play. This is a position from Bjornsson-Sigurdsson, Iceland Team Championship 2016. How did White make the most of his passed pawn on f7? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 3 May or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. There is a prize of £20 for the