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Diversions

Thought for Today

“Either you run the day or the day runs you.”

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— Jim Rohn

Horoscope

By Horoscope.com

Monday, February 13, 2023

Aries: It’s hard to keep your balance when a big rock suddenly falls on one side of the scale, Aries. Resolving the matter isn’t as hard as you think, because this rock has been dropped there as a gift. Even though it might be shocking at first, there’s an important message in this surprise. The tricky part is figuring out what it is.

Taurus: Like a team of pickpockets in a crowd, a group may have its eyes on you and secretly scheme to take advantage of your innocence, Taurus. One may work to distract you with something playful and harmless, while the others work behind your back to secretly steal your valuables.

Gemini: Opportunity is the name of the game for you, Gemini. Don’t turn out the lights before you make sure you’ve explored all your options today. Inspiration may come in a flash of unexpected thought, so make sure you have a pad and pencil handy. A good idea could be disguised as something insignificant, but if anyone is able to see the potential in something, it’s you.

Cancer: Today you may be asked to choose between the old and the new, Cancer. It’s as if people are protesting in some manner and you’re being asked to join in the ranks of those wishing to see change. Make sure you honestly assess all the available information before you automatically dismiss the situation as foolish.

Leo: Your inner strength and courage are tremendous today. You will find that people naturally gravitate toward you, Leo. Accept this flood of energy and put it to good use however you see fit. A spark of genius may hit you sometime during the day. It will have you up all night working on a new invention.

Virgo: Wear the striped shirt and polka-dot pants today, Virgo. The more you clash with the outside world the better. You may feel wildly out of place at first, but you will begin to see the beauty, importance, and respect you hold by standing out from the crowd.

Libra: If you don’t understand something, ask, Libra. If it looks different to you, ask why that is. Your curiosity is high, especially when it comes to the unconventional, and even more if it’s revolutionary. The rebel in you will feel new purpose, and you may be tempted to throw a stick in the spokes of an old carriage that continues to head down the same old boring path.

Scorpio: You may be shaken to the core today by someone of great personal magnetism, Scorpio. Maybe you feel as if you’re being overshadowed because of the grandiose ideas and mountains of information coming from this person. Perhaps you feel you’re too slow. Did you ever think that someone is going too quickly? Don’t automatically think that you’re the one who needs to change gears.

Sagittarius: Your internal computer just got upgraded today and your head is buzzing with all kinds of new information, Sagittarius. The good news is that you should be able to process all these bytes at lightning speed. Act swiftly and with great confidence.

Capricorn: You may feel a bit lonely today, Capricorn, even if there are people all around you. It may seem like everyone’s on a different plane. Maybe you think you have nothing in common with others - even those you generally feel closest to. You may be apprehensive about what they think of you after you tell them what you’re really thinking or feeling. Don’t let this stop you from making your thoughts known.

Aquarius: This is a climactic time for you, Aquarius. All your yearly cycles have reached a critical juncture. You may feel as if you’re at a point of tremendous victory or terrible failure. Either way, it’s important that you look on this time as a celebration that you’ve made it this far.

Pisces: Aggressive people may interfere with your plans today, Pisces, so don’t get too upset if things don’t work out the way you want them to. Let this be an exercise in learning how to think and act on your feet. Remember that you can play this game as well as others. Deliver an unexpected surprise right back and see how they deal with it.

Daily Bridge

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Monday, February 13, 2023

It has been said (rather more than once) that there are no blind opening leads, only hearing-impaired opening leaders. The advent of “bidding boxes” that allow for silent bidding has somewhat invalidated the expression, but the sentiment remains sound: Analyze the bidding and let it direct your lead.

In today’s deal, North-South quested to the five level looking for a slam that wasn’t there. North’s raise to five spades asked South to go to slam if he had a control in clubs, the unbid suit. South couldn’t oblige.

MAKING FIVE

West swiftly led the ace of clubs. East won the next club with the king and, to South’s relief, shifted to a trump. South easily took the rest, making five.

North-South’s bidding should have been punished. Since the bidding indicated (really, it roared loudly) that they lacked a high club, West’s opening lead should have been the deuce of clubs. East takes the king, returns a club to the ace and ruffs a third club for down one.

This week: killing opening leads.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: Q A J 4

8 7 3. You open one diamond, your partner responds one spade, you bid two clubs and

Sudoku

Codeword Puzzle

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3-by-3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9. that means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box. Sudoku puzzles appear on the Diversions page Monday through Saturday.

Crossword Puzzle

Answers to previous CODEWORD

How to play Codeword

Codeword is a fun game with simple rules, and a great way to test your knowledge of the English language. Every number in the codeword grid is ‘code’ for a letter of the alphabet. Thus, the number 2 may correspond to the letter L, for instance. All puzzles come with a few letters to start. Your first move should be to enter these letters in the puzzle grid. If the letter S is in the box at the bottom of the page underneath the number 2, your first move should be to find all cells numbered 2 in the grid and enter the letter S. Cross the letter S off the list at the bottom of the grid. Remember that at the end you should have a different letter of the alphabet in each of the numbered boxes 1- 26, and a word in English in each of the horizontal and vertical runs on the codeword grid.

Puzzle

he rebids two spades. You try 2NT, and partner bids three clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your 2NT described your hand reasonably well and tried for game. Partner has a weak hand with long spades and four clubs and wants to sign off at a partscore. Pass.

You have no game. Partner may hold vulnerable

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