It’s been more than 30 years since Zia Mahmood published his classic memoir, Bridge My Way*, and now – finally! – he brings us up to date with Bridge, A Love Story. It’s published next week, and having just binge-read an early copy, I can assure you that it’s every bit as brilliant. Zia is
Three protagonists shaped the action at the British Championships, held at De Montfort University in Leicester last month, with sharply different stories to tell. ‘Business as usual’ was a fair description of the top seed Michael Adams’s performance, who was undefeated on 7.5/9 and secured his eighth championship title by a comfortable margin. His closest
White to play. Edward Jackson-John Merriman, British Championships, 2023. Black has just captured a rook on e2 with a pawn on f3, presumably expecting imminent resignation. Which move allowed White to turn the tables? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 7 August. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of
In Competition No. 3310, you were invited to submit a horror story on the theme of artificial intelligence. None of your entries, creditable though they were, matched the horror of Harlan Ellison’s gruesome short story from 1967, ‘I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream’, which was at the back of my mind when I set
The thirteen thematic unclued lights form the first half of an alphabetical list. Ignore all accents. Across 10 Cut-throat chap’s birds (10) 13 Behavioural stimulus affected Earl 8 (8) 16 Girl in chains? (5) 17 Skilfully handled – after a stroke? (7) 18 White van going across Indian territory first (7) 20 Revised asking price
The unclued lights are STREETS or a phrase including STREET (34A). ST had to be highlighted four times in the grid. First prize Tom Rollinson, Borehamwood, Herts Runners-up Anna Jones, Manton, Wilts; James Bench-Capon, Cambridge
