PUZZLE TIME

Across

1 Eponymous biopic of the author of In Cold Blood (6)

4 See 30 Across & 13 Down

10 Essex town to the northeast of Chelmsford (9)

11 Bill ____, American comedian whose albums include Dangerous and Relentless (5)

12 National Trust house with a 300-acre deer park situated between Manchester and Cheshire (6,6)

15 Portuguese striker who won the 1965 Ballon d’Or (7)

17 Lee ____, American abstract expressionist who was married to Jackson Pollock (7)

18 French and Spanish royal dynasty, or a type of whiskey (7)

Sudoku

Di culty: medium

21 Biblical son of King David who rebelled against his father, referenced in the title of a William Faulkner novel (7)

23 The highest aqueduct in the world, which carries the Llangollen Canal (12)

27 ‘The Tell-Tale ____’, short story by Edgar Allan Poe (5)

28 Christian rite that commemorates the Last Supper (9)

29 Soviet policy of openness championed by Mikhail Gorbachev (8)

30 & 4 Across Shropshire market town to the east of the Long Mynd (6,8)

Down

1 Programme for children below the age of Scouts (4)

2 Comic strip created by Charles M. Schulz (7)

3 Freshwater fish also known as the doctor fish due to the belief it had healing powers (5)

5 1994 comedy starring Jim Carrey based on a comic book series (3,4)

6 New Testament book that takes the form of a letter written by Paul the Apostle (9)

7 A hypothetical particle that travels faster than light (7)

8 John ____, game theorist and Nobel Laureate depicted in A Beautiful Mind (4)

9 Dalton ____, Hollywood screenwriter blacklisted for his association with the Communist Party (6)

13 & 4 Across 19th-century evangelical author of children’s books such as Jessica’s First Prayer (5,8)

14 A playing card with elevated rank in trick-taking games (5)

16 Wirral town south of Birkenhead whose Oval Sports Centre provided a filming location for Chariots of Fire (9)

19 Swedish city that’s home to Scandinavia’s oldest university (7)

20 The positively charged centre of an atom (7)

21 Region in northeastern France of which Strasbourg is the capital (6)

22 Maker of string instruments (7)

24 Ken ____, director of Kes and I, Daniel Blake (5)

25 Member of a political party once led by Robert Walpole (4)

26 US state nicknamed the Beehive State (4)

Sudoku rules

1. Every square has to contain a single number.

2. Only numbers 1 to 9 can be used.

3. Each 3×3 box can only contain each number from 1 to 9 once.

4. Each row and column can only contain each number from 1 to 9 once.

Answers

Alice Leetham is a writer and puzzle maker from Cheshire. She works in the fintech industry and also enjoys creating quizzes and cryptic crosswords. Contact: alice@downstream.co.uk

Letters To The Editor

Thanksonce again to the many of you who have been keeping in touch with us here at Shire. It means so much to hear from you. We’ve included a few of our favourite letters and pictures here, but please do keep them coming – we love hearing your thoughts and opinions as well as bits of news you want to share. As always, please include a picture when you can, and send your correspondence to us at editorial@shiremagazine.co.uk

Shout-out to students

I’d like to give a shout-out to BTEC Business students who have shown their generosity and community spirit by donating project profits to a selection of charities. Level 3 learners from our Business course at Coleg Cambria gathered £637 for The Dogs Trust, WWF, Hope House Hospice, Ronald McDonald House at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, MIND Cymru and Cancer Research UK.

If you’ve missed an issue – perhaps you’ve not been able to get to the shops before they were snapped up – we have a supply we’re happy to send out. Just let us know which issue you need, include a self-addressed envelope with £1.60 postage, and send to Shire Magazine, PO Box 276, Oswestry SY10 1FR. An even safer bet is to subscribe to the magazine so you never miss a copy again! See page 96 for details on how to do this. Keep writing, keep emailing, keep reading!

As part of their programme, learners were tasked with planning and running their own business. They all chose to launch a social enterprise so they could have an impact on the local economy, with profits donated to charity. Ventures ranged from photography to recycling, pet treats, sports and more, but one thing was constant – their determination to make as much money as possible for these worthwhile causes. They are an incredible group, talented and brimming with positivity.

Anne Williams, Coleg Cambria Lecturer

Hoping for helpers

Barnardo’s children’s charity has opened a new shop at Unit 13, Baddley Court, 6-16 High Street, Newport, in Shropshire. As we embark on this new chapter, we are reaching out to your compassionate readers to become a part of our journey. The store will be a hub of goodwill, aiming to raise funds to enhance the lives of disadvantaged children and young people. We’re excited to accept donations of high-quality clothing, books, DVDs, toys, games, accessories and homeware. We are also seeking local volunteers who can dedicate a few hours each week to assist our dedicated sta in sorting stock and serving customers.

Volunteering o ers valuable experience for those seeking employment, a chance to forge new connections and to make a di erence in the lives of children. If you are interested, please contact me on 07514 719 449

Thank you for the advert and content covering Wem Sweet Pea Show in the latest edition of Shire Magazine – we love it!

Rose Horner, Manager, Wem Sweet Pea Show

I came across a copy of your wonderful magazine in Venue Cymru. My heart gave a little flutter at its exciting contents! Well done, editors, writers and contributors. Regards, Diane Lawton

I just wanted to tell the team at Shire to keep up the good work! Reading through my copy as soon as it arrives is the absolute highlight of my day and I’d be lost without your words of wit and wisdom.

Daniel Richard Jones

Can you help?

Steph Millward, Manager, Barnardo’s Newport

Stories in your seat

Your readers might be interested to hear about a new venture that will allow them to discover the story behind the view from their window as they ride the Cambrian Line.

The Cambrian Line is one of Wales’ most scenic railway journeys, stretching 120 miles from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and along the coast to Pwllheli. But many passengers will have wondered what landmarks they are passing, or would like to learn more about the geography, history and culture of the area they are travelling through. Now they can do just that, with the launch of the Cambrian Line Window Seater Audio Guide.

Cambrian Railway Partnership has partnered with Window Seater to bring passengers geo-located, localised, bilingual audio stories as they travel along the route. The Window Seater app connects rail travellers to the world outside their window, free of charge, with place-based audio guides that draw on stories from communities along the line.

The project has been funded by the Community Rail Development Fund, Transport for Wales Challenge Fund and the Cambrian Railway Partnership. We hope passengers will agree that use of the guide enhances their train journey in a fun and engaging way, making for a more satisfying and enriching experience. The guide is available in English and Welsh, and aims to promote our region’s culture and identity.

Claire

Williams, Cambrian Railway Partnership Development O cer