Vicky T

Boatman - the first 50 reportedly makes a great present or holiday read, exemplified by this image of the book opened to show the story behind the Shipping Forecast puzzle, on display on Brighton beach. Reviewing Boatman - the first 50, Alan Connor (The Guardian's crossword editor and the brains behind many of BBC2’s quiz programs) says: "This is one to savour. Boatman's puzzles are witty and ingenious. It is an extraordinary pleasure to read how his unique mind works. The first 50 is a book I never knew I needed in my life. Gift it to yourself and to the word-lovers in yours". Hugh Stephenson (Alan’s predecessor at The Guardian) says: "This is a unique book of crosswords" and Henry Morris: "a Boatman crossword is like a theme park. Each daunting line is a rollercoaster ... He scares you witless. But you can't wait to do it all over again".

Boatman - the second 50 contains another 50 puzzles from The Guardian, with five bonus puzzles previously only available online and including puzzles, solutions and the ideas and stories behind them, exemplified by this image of the book opened to show one of the stories, which is accompanied by a picture of a large cow. Reviewing Boatman - the second 50, Gyles Brandreth says: "If you want a fiendish crossword, you want the best - which means you want Boatman, because he is the best" and Brian Bilston: "Cracking crosswords - each puzzle a delightful daily workout for the brain and a welcome tonic for the soul".

It's the Seasonal Reposting Competition! Repost this over the weekend, and on Sunday one lucky person will win a signed copy of one of my books. For you or the #crossword addict in your life: 50 fiendish @theguardian.com #puzzles and all the stories behind them:
boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-bo...

People complaining about Socialism always use Capitalism as the example.

What a lovely piece of writing thank you

Absolutely incredible documentary and who would have anticipated that librarians would need to be so courageous - should be compulsory viewing this

Jesus fucking Christ

Shot, chaser

Young men more likely to vote Green than Reform. Young men second most progressive group of any demographic. Combined right-wing vote barely bigger than Green vote alone for young men

So exhausting..

A man in a suit walks across a stadium floor carrying a large wooden cross on wheels. The stands are full of people, a big screen shows musicians performing, and a banner overhead reads “Building a Legacy, Remembering Charlie Kirk.” Fox News logo is in the corner.

Bearing your cross is a lot easier with wheels.

Image of a New York Times article. The New Hork Eimes SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1939 Goebbels Ends Careers of Five 'Aryan' Actors Who Made Witticisms About the Nazi Regime Wireless to THE NEW YORX TIMES BERLIN, Feb. 3 The text is too long to post here.

«The New York Times reported in 1939 that Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels terminated the careers of 5 prominent German comedians. Their crime? Making political jokes about the Nazi regime.»

boingboing.net/2025/09/18/s...

Image of the Times article below.

www.nytimes.com/1939/02/04/a...

Not all heroes etc..

All
Of
This

Fwiw, I do not think this is what Tim Berners Lee had in mind

The most important thing to nail now is the hashtag. I absolutely loathe the overused "-gate" suffix most of the time, but begrudgingly admit that #ElonGate is really, really funny

this is like drake and kendrick lamar but they're both drake

elon musk to donald trump at every meeting in the oval office: “you are in the epstein files. meet my 3 year old son”

a woman in a pink sweater sits on a couch in front of a picture on the wall Alt: a woman in a pink sweater sits on a couch in front of a picture on the wall

Melania and Grimes tonight.

Scientists at Loughborough University create 'world's smallest violin' The violin is smaller than a human hair and has "laid the groundwork" for future research.

Speaking of current events…

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Txt STOP to opt out of updates on war plans

I note with interest right-wing media's total absence of any concerns about prominent BBC presenter Armstrong expressing his highly political opinions. As was always perfectly clear to many of us, the problem was not that Lineker had views, but the fact they didn't approve of his views.

Hi gang. My films ‘In The Loop’ and ‘The Death of Stalin’ are on #BBCFour this evening, at 9pm and 10.40pm. Do enjoy if you’re a fan of repeated threat.

"What's your #WorldBookDay costume?"
"Hemingway"
"You're just drunk at 10am"
"correct"

"Bravo, Britain! 🇬🇧✊🙌🤣 Tesla #ElonMusk teslamotors"

This is a great idea. Do you know anyone in Congress you can talk to?

“The Democrats didn’t do enough on Gaza, so I withheld my vote to make a statement.”

“Well, Trump won and now he’s gonna destroy Gaza.”

“Yep. We’re paying the price for the Democrats’ incompetence.”

“‘We?’ The Gazans are paying the price, not us”

Pause.

“I needed to make a statement.”

A Victorian hand drawing of a female shoplifter

I learned something actually cool today:
There was a gang of criminal women known as the “Forty elephants” back in the late nineteenth & early 20th century.

They specialised in shoplifting from Londons expensive west end, using their massive frock coats to conceal stuff.

For more than ten years I’ve kept loose batteries in a metal tin, and yesterday evening I opened it and two of them were red hot, and I thought oh dear, that’s not good, and I looked up whether you should keep batteries in a metal tin, and let’s say I’m glad that I’m not long dead in a house fire.

Sam Eagle as Julia Roberts on the cover of Harper’s bazaar.!

Animal riding Janhvi Kapoor’s horse on the cover of Harper’s bazaar.!

Beaker as Renee Zellweger on the cover of Harper’s bazaar.

i’m just photoshopping muppets onto the cover of harper’s bazaar: thread

How is it possible to be an actual person employed in an actual job that involves writing stuff down and not know the meaning of the phrase ‘track changes’? Asking for a feckin’ idiot