HOROSCOPE

Horoscope.com

Saturday, February 25, 2023

ARIES — Aries, personal dignity may be important to you today. This may come about when things go wrong or if you’re accused of something you didn’t do. You always have control over your dignity. Your daily actions affirm this. The key is to hold on tightly to who you are and what you believe in. Defend your dignity if it’s challenged.

TAURUS — Don’t be surprised if someone describes you as conservative, Taurus. It may be true. It could indicate that it’s important for you to maintain control over most things - what you say and how much, how you dress, the kinds of people you spend time with, where and how you spend your money - these are all things that conservative people tend to closely monitor. Be proud of who you are.

GEMINI — Your mother may be on your mind today, Gemini. Your mother probably affects how you think, act, and feel, both in the past and now. If your mother’s sign is opposite yours, conflict and misunderstanding can happen more easily. Take the time to learn about her sign today to help you understand her and the relationship you have.

CANCER — Focus on yourself today, Cancer. Take note of your health. You probably know that this is something you must take care of always, not just sometimes. Daily routines are important. It’s up to you to stick to them. The little things like taking vitamins, staying active, and relaxing help maintain a healthy body.

LEO — No dream is too big or too late to fulfill. You may be thinking about your special dreams today, Leo. Perhaps you aspire to do something really great, be a pioneer in some field, or be a prominent figure. Whatever it is can happen if you believe in yourself and work toward it. Don’t let naysayers stop you. If you decide you can, you probably will.

VIRGO — Chances are good that you will receive a helping hand or comfort from someone many years your senior who cares about you, Virgo. Don’t hesitate to ask for their thoughts, ideas, and assistance. They will probably enjoy being able to do this for you and be glad that you’ve approached them. Be open and accept the love and support that’s offered.

LIBRA — Today, Libra, you may think about competition and possible future goals. Imagining and dreaming can serve you well. What did you dream about as a kid? Who did you want to become? Are you close to this in your life now? If not, is this all right for you? Take time to think such things through and, if need be, get back on the right track.

SCORPIO — You may think about your finances today, Scorpio. It’s never too late to learn about saving and investing, especially if there’s something you really want to do, like travel. Preparing for retirement can seem surreal when you’re young, but it’s important to start early. Regardless of how your affairs have gone to date, change starts now.

SAGITTARIUS — Take the time today to consider your health, Sagittarius. Do you get enough rest, eat the right foods, take vitamins, exercise every day, go to the doctor when you need to, and take time to relax? All these help you have a lifetime of good health. Living a long, healthy life is something we all want. Start now to take care of your body.

CAPRICORN — Today you may emphasize organizing things and managing your life, Capricorn. Take a look at your time management. It’s possible to plan every day so you have enough time to do what you have to get done as well as do everything you’d like to do. Set priorities to keep things flowing well. There are many books and websites out there on this subject.

AQUARIUS — One day, I want to be…. When you were little, how did you finish that sentence, Aquarius? See what your memory and imagination come up with. Is your life what you dreamed it would be? If not, consider what you could do to change it. Maybe you should lie on your back and gaze at the clouds or stars. This childlike activity may spark some ideas for you.

PISCES — If you feel cautious today, Pisces, don’t be alarmed. This can be a good thing, Pisces, as you can be too trusting at times or forget to take care when going into something new. Use a little caution in everything you do to keep safe. This is true with relationships, too. Give a little more thought and time to things to help you choose more wisely.

Daily Bridge

By FRANK STEWART

Tribune Content Agency

Saturday, February 25, 2023

On “Simple Saturday,” I focus on improving basic technique and logical thinking.

An attribute of a good defender is the ability to distinguish times when he must look for tricks in a hurry from times when he can go “passive” and wait for tricks. The look of dummy will often provide a clue.

In today’s deal, South’s jump to two spades is weak and preemptive. Against four spades, West doesn’t find an inspired heart opening lead: He leads the deuce of clubs. When East takes the ace, should he defend passively or get busy?

Discards

The defenders will get a club and a diamond but no trump tricks. They need two hearts, and East can’t wait around for them. South, given time, will draw trumps and set up the diamonds for heart discards.

East must lead the ace of hearts at Trick Two, then the queen. When he takes the ace of diamonds, he can lead a heart to West’s jack for down one. East can’t know that West has the jack, but he must so assume, otherwise his cause is hopeless.

Daily Question

You hold: 6

You open one club, your partner bids one spade,

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-Saturday and on the crossword solutions page in Sunday’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

you jump to three clubs and he rebids three spades. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s three spades is forcing. It would make little sense for him to rebid three spades with a weak hand when your three clubs suggested a long, strong suit. Bid 3NT. To raise to four spades would be acceptable also, but partner can insist on four spades himself.