Was pleased to complete theguardian‘s “hard” sudoku puzzle today in 9 minutes, so I think I’m returning to form. I managed yesterday’s hard kakuro in 17 minutes, which is an improvement. I still prefer to kakuro to sudoku as it requires much more thought and actual maths.

Sadly, I only found out about the 1st World Sudoku Championship today. (Via.)

If you’ve not seen it yet, do check out The Very Fluffy Diary of Millennium Dome, Elephant. It’s funny, mischievously satirical, and awfully furry:

On the radio, a man from the police is saying that the police should keep their SHOOT TO KILL policy. But it should not be CALLED shoot to kill. Even though it involves SHOOTING people in order to KILL them.

Daddy Richard says I should look up DOUBLETHINK.

Ming has been unveiling more of his new frontbench team today.

Sarah Teather goes to education; Ed Davey to trade and industry; Susan Kramer to international development; and Jo Swinson to Scottish afffairs.

I don’t find Teather’s appointment inspiring, although it makes sense to move Davey (and the DTI suits his economics background) and Sarah has been solid on tuition fees (my bête noire) in the past, pointing out in the Commons that she was still paying off her student loan. Good to see Kramer and Swinson promoted. It’s a shame the latter has got a pretty light, and unimaginative, brief, but it’s an opportunity to gain frontbench experience. Given that Julia Goldworthy and Jo Swinson have been promoted, it seems unthinkable that the third “J”, Jenny Willott, won’t go up too, and Welsh affairs, mirroring Swinson, seems her most likely home. But, if that’s the case, whither Lembit? And who will get the newly-vacated ODPM role?

Update: The new team is shaping up on the party website. Nick Harvey appears to have taken defence, beating Sandra Gidley, who goes to health under Steve Webb. Alistair Carmichael replaces Tom Brake at transport and Don Foster stays shadowing DCMS. David Heath, David Laws and Lembit stay put. Andrew Stunnell replaces Teather at ODPM and will stand down as Chief Whip.

Update the second: Simon Hughes is to do constitutional affairs and keep his previous post of Shadow Attorney General. David Heath loses that (but remains Shadow Leader of the House), and will be “Shadow Cabinet Office Minister”.

I am appalled, and in no way amused, by Ming’s Dynasty, the tale of the race to succeed the Emperor. And there was I wondering what CK was going to do with his spare time… (Via.)