The House speaker, Mike Johnson, is under pressure from the far right, and he knows his job could be on the line. Photograph: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThe House speaker, Mike Johnson, is under pressure from the far right, and he knows his job could be on the line. Photograph: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesUS newsExplainerMike Johnson and Chuck Schumer say they have a deal to avert a shutdown – but a divided Congress could yet stall its progress Read More...
Country diarySpidersLangstone, Hampshire: Crab spiders are ambush predators rather than web-spinners, and bees can often be their unsuspecting victims
I was cutting a bunch of antirrhinums when I noticed a dark shadow inside one of the nose-like flower capsules. When I pinched open the lobed petals, I was surprised to discover an entombed common carder bee. Honeybees often struggle to enter and exit these snap-jawed blooms, as they don’t have enough heft to cause the flower lip to open, but portly bumblebees have no trouble thrusting their bodies into the gullet of the flower and wriggling out backwards, so this pollinator’s demise was something of a mystery. Read More...
Crossword blogCrosswordsCryptic crosswords for beginners: SoundalikesAlan Connor demystifies each type of cryptic crossword clue for beginners and asks experienced solvers to share their favourite examples. This week: homophones and punsIn this series, I hope that newcomers can equip themselves with the tools of the solver's trade, while aficionados can enjoy some prime examples of the art of setting.
We've looked at hidden answers and double definitions; now it's time for the soundalike. Read More...
