David Snowell found his letter on the floor of his drawing-room. He had not heard the door. There it lay in the centre of the carpet, as tidy as if someone had placed it with a ruler.
The seal caught his attention at once. Green wax in the shape of an evergreen tree. It reminded him of a workshop he had not set foot in for many years.
He opened it with a certain amount of suspicion.
You are required at Snowfall Manor to review a creation from your early work.
Yours in Tradition,
S. N. Ow
"My early work," he thought. There were several things that could mean, but only one that involved a manor in the north.
He opened a cupboard and lifted out a battered notebook, cluttered with quick sketches and coffee stains. Between two pages of diagrams, someone had drawn a chess position.
He closed the notebook and rubbed his forehead. The peaceful December he had promised himself was beginning to tilt.
This is a helpmate, which means that both sides cooperate to achieve mate. With Black to move first, how can White, with Black's assistance, mate on the second move? Black plays 2 moves and White 2, and White's 2nd move is mate. Here's the position on Lichess. If you are confused, check out Offerspill's Discord server.
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