Sweden’s flagship event is the brilliantly well organised Chairman’s Cup held in Orebro, attracting great players from all over Europe. Unfortunately I couldn’t go so I had to content myself with watching on BBO. The final was riveting — a Swedish team of Juniors, plus the Dutch champion Marion Michielsen, eventually succumbing in the last
David Howell is on a roll. At the halfway stage of the British Championship he looks set to retain his title, and he has shot to no. 2 in the British rankings, behind Michael Adams. His recent successes include a share of first prize in the Dubai Open and a stunning outright first in the tournament
In Competition No. 2909 you were invited to follow in the footsteps of Michael Gove, who has urged civil servants to take inspiration from George Orwell and Evelyn Waugh, Jane Austen and George Eliot, and submit a memo generated by either the Department of Education or the Ministry of Justice as it might have been
29 6 (4 words) is 1 24 (3 words). 24 11 10 (4 words), but 6 11 36 (4 words). Across 3 Secret compartments disguised in most of tables (12, two words) 12 Card game with same elements as brag (4) 14 Prohibit female and male from looking on the dark side (6)
The Poem was ‘Kubla Khan’ by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. 3A, 23, 42, 43, 3D, 4, 10 and 16 are words from the poem. KUBLA KHAN appears in the twelfth row. COLE (1A) and RIDGE (24) were to be shaded. First prize James Long, Richmond, Surrey Runners-up John Fahy, Thaxted, Essex; John Honey, London W13
White to play. This is a variation from Williams-Howell, British Championship, Warwick 2015. Howell won this game but the puzzle shows what might have happened if he had gone wrong. How can White regain his material to achieve a winning position? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 11 August or via email to
