Diversions

Thought for Today

“Some people don’t like change, but you need to embrace change if the alternative is disaster.”

— Elon Musk

Horoscope

By Horoscope.com

Monday, April 17, 2023

Aries: Even though you’re slaving away at work, your mind is very much on romance. Passion is running high, especially yours, Aries! If you already have a romantic partner, why not plan an intimate evening together? If you don’t yet have someone special in your life, it’s likely you will meet someone today or soon thereafter.

Taurus: If you had to score your life right now, it would have to be a perfect ten. You look great, your career is going well, and your domestic life is harmonious. Could there be anything more to life? Don’t think so. You may receive news of more success at work when an important sale comes through or a project is successfully completed.

Gemini: You have a lot to celebrate, Gemini, especially where your love life is concerned. Today you may receive a communication from your loved one that makes you yearn for this person’s company. You’ve been together a lot recently, attending many dinners and social gatherings, but you’ve had little one-on-one time.

Cancer: There’s a lot of work to be done today, and much of it centers on finances. Whether you’re working on budgets or investments, you will easily finish the task. Your trusty computer will help you as you discover a new website that supports your efforts or post a question in a financial chatroom that yields many responses.

Leo: You may be privy to some information today that will ultimately result in financial gain, Leo. You may get wind of a new company and be one of the first investors. Or perhaps what you hear gives you an idea for a new product that you bring to market yourself. The outlook for you is rosy indeed, although your success won’t come without putting your own skills and talents to use!

Virgo: Expect to receive some great news today, Virgo. Answer your phone and check email all day, because you never know when it will come. Indications suggest that success in all aspects of your life is coming. You may complete a project to acclaim or submit a report that’s accepted without question.

Libra: Your optimistic nature has served you well. This quality makes you a great manager since you can motivate and inspire co-workers. Today you may be recognized for your leadership abilities and can-do attitude. Your reward might be a promotion or bonus, or perhaps another project even more challenging than the last.

Scorpio: You woke up feeling happy and enthusiastic, Scorpio. Your intuition tells you that you will achieve whatever you set your mind to. Whatever your goals - career, education, or personal - you’re bound to succeed. If you don’t have a significant other by your side to support your progress, all signs indicate that you will meet someone soon.

Sagittarius: Whether you spend today with your feet on the ground or in an airplane, you’re eager and enthusiastic about your life direction. If you aren’t on your way to a distant land, it’s likely that you will be airborne soon, Sagittarius. You’ve achieved tremendous success lately and that trend is going to continue.

Capricorn: Success and good fortune are strongly indicated today, Capricorn, along with a sense of optimism. All sorts of changes and surprises lie in store for you. You may receive information from a business partner that radically changes your short-term plans. A trip may be in order, or you could have a visitor.

Aquarius: Money matters are highlighted today, Aquarius. You can expect to spend a lot of time with the calculator as you balance your checkbook or begin to work on your budget. Even if you don’t consider yourself particularly good with numbers, you will do a great job.

Pisces: An unexpected financial windfall could come your way today, Pisces. You may stand there with an open envelope in your hand, unable to speak. Whether it’s an unanticipated bonus, gift, or surprising stock dividend, invest the money wisely. You’ve spent a lot of money recently, and it would be good for you to begin to replenish the bank account.

Daily Bridge

By FRANK STEWART Tribune Content Agency

Monday, April 17, 2023

Players can succumb to the “euphoria effect.” If something good happens early in the play, they respond emotionally and forget that the deal isn’t over.

The raise to 3NT by today’s North was bold: Seven of his points lay in a short suit, he lacked aces, and a heart lead was likely. When West led a low heart, South correctly and hopefully put up dummy’s queen — and it won!

South must have been euphoric. He next unblocked the A-K of clubs, led a diamond to his ace and took the queen of clubs. When he led a second diamond to dummy’s king, expecting five diamond tricks and nine in all, East discarded. Down two.

LAPSE

Euphoria is not one of the Nine Muses of Greek myth; South was so ecstatic at winning Trick One that he lost focus. After he takes dummy’s high clubs, he must cash the king of diamonds, following with his ten, and lead to his ace.

When East shows out, South takes the queen of clubs and leads a diamond to the nine. He can run the diamonds for nine tricks. DAILY QUESTION

You hold:

Sudoku

Codeword Puzzle

You open one and your partner bids one

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-Saturday and on the crossword solutions page in Saturday’s Life section.

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

heart. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your hand is promising but not strong enough to force to game; your partner may have responded with a six-point hand (and some players would respond with fewer points). Bid one spade.

A jump-shift to two spades would create a game-force. If your partner passes one spade, you are unlikely to miss a game.