Ostend has been host to hundreds of bridge players representing their various countries in the European Teams Championships. The ten-day marathon across three disciplines (Open, Women and Seniors) has two functions: first, to find the gold, silver and bronze European medallists, and second, to select the top eight teams (out of 33) who will go
Fabiano Caruana has won the elite Altibox tournament ahead of world champion Magnus Carlsen. This result might appear to give a promising boost to Caruana’s prospects for his world title challenge to Carlsen, which is due to take place in London in November. Alas, that is not the case. It is true that Caruana triumphed
In Competition No. 3053, an assignment prompted by Anthony Horowitz’s reflections on creating female characters for his latest Bond novel, you were invited to provide an extract from a well-known work that might be considered sexist by today’s standards and rework it for the #MeToo age. Highlights in a thoroughly enjoyable entry included Brian Allgar’s
2/11/12 is a four-word quotation in Chambers. Remaining unclued lights (all appropriate to the language the quotation is in) are three sets of three words of a kind, each set suggested by one word of the quotation. One unclued light associated with the whole of 2/11/12 must be highlighted. Across 1 A wimp inhales air,
The unclued lights are anagrams of the names of Scottish towns. Dalry (12), Dundee (14)), Brechin (27), Kelso (1D), Peterhead (8), Inverness (21D), Gretna (30D) and Elgin (34). The title is an anagram of TOONS (Scottish towns). First prize J.R. Evans, Caversham, Reading Runners-up Michael Moran, Penrith, Cumbria; Don Young, Shaw, Oldham
White to play. This position is a variation from So-Carlsen, Norway Chess 2018. The world champion suffered a reverse in this game. How would So have concluded here? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 26 June or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out
