tipss_content_february_12 by Tania Houston

Content Catalogue February 2012

Content Articles Special 1: Lantern Day Special2: Think Like A Burglar Book Reviews: First Love February Beauty: Fresh Faced Whatever Your Age Handy Household: The Virtues of Vinegar Gardening Feature: Winter Perfume Plants Health: How To Sleep Better Humour: The Irresistible Rise Of Posh ‘N’ Roll Herb of the Month: Mint Home & Interiors: Light Fantastic Motoring Feature: Going Green Poet’s Corner: Pancake Day Science Facts A Proverbial Life...: The Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back Recipe: Chicken Goulash Tech Review: Gadgets They’ll Love Travel Feature: The World’s Highest Road Pass Working from Home

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Puzzles Calcudoku Cartoon 1 Cartoon 2 Children’s Page Cryptic Crossword Codeword Drop Down Pictogram General Knowledge Crossword Number Cruncher Quiz 1: Love & Marriage Quiz 2: Ologies Simple Crossword Spot the Diﬀerence Sudoku: Easy & Hard Wordsearch: Shakespeare

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Articles Special 1

Lantern Day If you think the way we calculate Easter and Leap Years is complicated, you should have a look at the Chinese calendar. It’ll do your head in. I say this because I was going to write about Chinese New Year, which is in February. Only this year it isn’t. It was on 23rd January. That’s because the Chinese regard New Year’s Day as being the second new moon after the Winter Solstice (22nd December), and last year’s solstice was followed almost immediately by new moon. It must have been on Boxing Day, by my (admittedly shaky) calculations. Oh, but did I mention? Sometimes, Chinese New Year falls not on the second but on the third new moon after the solstice. This occurs when solstice is at the end of a lunar cycle rather than at or near the beginning of one... I think you’ve probably had enough of this by now. I know I have. Except to remark that as Chinese months are all either 29 or 30 days long, their year is 11 days short and every now and then they have to throw in an extra month to make up the shortfall. This is only common sense (given that you’ve settled on a 354-day year in the first place); but the rules as to when in the year the intercalary month is inserted are absolutely

fiendish. Oh, and that they don’t name their months, they number them. Or rather they do name their months, but since the word “Chinese” is a blanket term for the most culturally and linguistically diverse ethnicity on the planet, each month has dozens or possibly even hundreds of names. Numbers are much simpler. Oh, except that the intercalary month doesn’t even have a number, let alone a name. It just takes the same number as the preceding month, so you could have a 43rd or a 59th of the month. Anyway, Chinese New Year being on 23rd January rather forestalls my plan for February – except that the Chinese New Year holiday lasts until the following full moon, which by my (again shaky) reckoning falls on 7th February this year. This is known as Lantern Day (not be confused with the Autumn Lantern Day) and is when Chinese children process to the temple bearing beautiful paper lanterns with riddles written on them which have to be solved. In antiquity it was also when young couples were allowed to make a

public passegiata, watched hawkishly by chaperones and matchmakers, so it has echoes of our own Valentine’s Day. (One of the many, many legends explaining the origins of Lantern Day is that the Gods were angry with a particular village and decided to send troops to burn it. Alerted by a friendly soothsayer, on the day allocated for their destruction the villagers put out hundreds of lanterns and set off thousands of firecrackers, so that the approaching soldiery thought the job had already been done and left. To celebrate their salvation the villagers lit more lanterns and set off more firecrackers on every anniversary; and now the entire Chinese diaspora does as well). It only remains to record that this is the year of the Dragon. If you are blessed with a child this year he/she will be powerful, strong and lucky, and should have control over some aspects of the weather, especially floods and hurricanes. A dragon should marry a rat and avoid pigs and oxen. I myself am a rooster and my wife is a rabbit. Neither of these seem especially apposite, but our twin children are quite definitely monkeys.

Special 2 Your home is not just the place that you keep your belongings and sleep at night. It is somewhere you feel safe and secure, and where you go to take a break from the outside world. So to be the victim of burglary is to suffer more than simply loss of your property and personal effects; it’s a violation of your sanctuary. Prevention is better than cure so put these measures in place before you are caught out.

Think like a burglar Think like a burglar

Stand outside your property and imagine that you were trying to break in. Where would you start? Flowerpot on the front step? Remove that not-so-secret key that’s underneath. Downstairs loo with the window that is always left open? Buy an air freshener instead! Full height ladder stored at the side of the house? It’s like a written invitation.

Security basics

It doesn’t matter how expensive your alarm system is or how strong your door locks are, if you don’t employ the most basic security measures you are just asking for trouble. As you leave the house or are preparing to go to bed, get into a routine of thinking about each room in turn and whether the windows or doors are likely to have been opened that day. Around 20% of burglaries don’t involve any force – the intruder has simply walked in the unlocked door or climbed through the window. You should extend this mental check to your car and garage too; easily overlooked because they are out of sight once you are indoors. Remember too that more break-ins happen during daylight hours, so vigilance then is every bit as important as night time.

Good locks = good security

Each of your windows should have a key locking mechanism fitted – standard with most double glazed units these days, and the key should be stored nearby but not within reach or visibility of the window itself. If you have nothing like this at the moment, and can’t afford to upgrade your windows just yet, make it a priority to have locks fitted on all the downstairs windows at least. Doors should have a good locking system such as an automatic deadlock or a mortise deadlock. Check too that the frame is solid and the glass panel is laminated.

Be flashy – but only with your security

80% of burglaries are spur of the moment so the only thing you should be showing off is your security measures. Don’t display your worldly goods to attract the opportunists in the first place. If you have an expensive bike keep it out of

sight; don’t leave mobile phones on the windowsill; and don’t leave the empty box for your flashy new flatscreen TV standing by the bin for days. The same rules apply with your car. Don’t think that robbers don’t break in just to steal a handful loose change. They do.

Tell-tale signs

When you are away from home, don’t leave the curtains drawn all day – nobody does that if they are in the house. Use inexpensive timer switches for table lamps and a radio to come on when it’s becoming dark, both downstairs and upstairs. And ask a friend or neighbour to move your post each day particularly where you have an outside box or you can easily see if the post is ‘on the mat’. These are all basic measures and will go a long way to ensure that your home and property stay safe. Next month, taking security seriously - back up these basic measures with a solid line of defence.

Book Reviews

First Love February

They say you never forget your first love. Spoiling us for future relationships, the flame burns intensely but is often short-lived. It can be overwhelming, all-consuming and breathtakingly exciting. Surely it’s got to be downhill after that. We may be long past the first flourish of teenage heart-trembling, but this Valentine’s Day, why not rekindle the old flame and fall in love for the first time, all over again. Twilight. Stephenie Meyer I gave this book to my partner to read. He was, understandably, incredibly cynical about the teenage love-story but I can honestly say that from the first page, he was hooked. This masterful tale of forbidden love between a vampire and a human, takes you on a blood-pumping and heart-fluttering journey of yearning and lust. Set deep within the misty and brooding Pacific Northwest coast of America it’s sure to warm the cockles of even a vampire’s icecold heart. The Reader. Bernhard Schlink Set against a backdrop of post-war Germany, this love story asks how generations have come to terms with what happened during the Holocaust. The novel opens with a fifteen year old Michael Berg falling for the much older and more experienced Hanna Schmitz. Hanna is illiterate and after a chance meeting with

Berg, he begins to read novels aloud to her and their relationship begins to blossom. The story is written in three parts, charting Michael’s life. It’s a complex tale of first love, realisations about the world and coming to terms with a history that irrevocably shaped Germany’s present and future. It’s thoughtprovoking and truly heartbreaking. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging. Louise Rennison Louise Rennison’s hugely popular comic novel is the first in the series about lovelorn teenager, Georgia Nicholson. It follows the trials and tribulations of Georgia and her best friend Jas, who form part of the Ace Gang. It’s packed with sleepovers and family life, along with heartstopping and lifealtering crushes on the object of her affection, ‘Sex God Robbie’. How do you cope when the boy of your dreams

winds up with one of the ‘wet weeds’ instead of living happily ever after with you? The original Bridget Jones in a training bra, Georgia’s diary charts her path from girl to woman…and every step in-between. One Day. David Nicholls Everybody who went to university in the eighties will both weep uncontrollably and laugh out loud at the nostalgia that One Day exudes. Published in 2009, it follows the twenty year courtship of Emma and Dex, catching up with them on the same day, the 15th of July, St Swithin’s Day. One Day is filled with humour and wonderfully rounded, yet beautifully flawed characters you’re bound to fall in love with. Beginning as the two protagonists leave university and embark on their journey into the great wide world, fate soon overcomes youthful enthusiasm and aspiration. How long do we hold onto first loves, dream careers and a notion of happily-ever-after?

‘For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo’. Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare We know it’s going to end badly from the start, and yet we can’t get enough of the Bard’s star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. It’s got everything; romance, comedy, drama, feuding families and an apothecary. There have been many adaptations, film versions and takeoffs but why not settle down with Shakespeare’s original play and let the whirlwind romance sweep you off your feet.

Beauty We all want to turn back the clock when it comes to our ageing skin, but finding ways to lessen the appearance of embedded lines and wrinkles can be hard. So, it’s important to take immediate action to look after your skin through a dedicated daily routine - that will prove to be effective, whatever your age.

Fresh Faced Whatever Your Age Prevention is better than cure, and thanks to the extensive range of products on the market designed specifically to delay and fight the signs of ageing - holding back the years might not be as hard as you’d think. It’s not just about products though, living a healthy lifestyle, eating a diet that’s rich in vitamins A, C and E (found in brightly coloured fruit and vegetables) and omega-3 fatty acids (from fish, nuts and seeds) will boost skin from the inside out. And what’s more, remember to keep smiling - it’s an instant face-lift. After all, as fashion designer Coco Chanel famously said, ‘Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.’

In your late 20s and early 30s…

It might seem early, but it pays to establish a skin care regime that will aid in the prevention of visible ageing signs in later life. Remember to protect the skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays, by using a specially formulated day cream that is guaranteed to safeguard your skin. Always cleanse, tone, exfoliate (image 1) and moisturise (image 2) to eradicate dull patches and ensure a healthy, youthful glow.

In your late 30s and early 40s….

Once you hit your mid thirties you may start to notice the earliest signs of ageing - such as laughter lines, frown lines or wrinkles around the lips. Use an eye cream (image 3) daily to treat and postpone the onset of fine lines around sensitive areas and select a richly moisturising night cream to keep both face and neck thoroughly nourished. It’s essential at this time in your life to commit to paying real attention to looking after your skin, so as to ensure it looks younger and more youthful in years to come.

In your late 40s and early 50s…..

Work on any established wrinkles with targeted products for your problem areas (image 4). Active anti-ageing ingredients are a must at this age, so look for products that contain high levels of antioxidants, retinol or peptides to protect your skin from free-radical damage. Brightening ingredients help to boost radiance and will improve the appearance of mature skin. Try both serums and creams to establish which works best for you.

In your late 50s and early 60s…

A dull complexion is common in your 60s. Owing to a build-up of dead skin cells due to the skin’s inability to renew itself, the surface can be left looking uneven and lifeless. So regular exfoliation is essential (image 5). Not only will this reveal fresher looking skin, but you will also be creating the ideal base on which to apply your anti-ageing products, ensuring they are absorbed deep into the layers of your dermis. Though be careful not to scrub or use an exfoliant that is too harsh, as this can damage thinning skin already suffering from a reduction in collagen and elastin fibres.

In your late 60s, early 70s and beyond…

As skin is much more demanding at this time of life, it can be hard to manage dry skin and the more established signs of ageing. It is essential to build on the routine you have established throughout previous years by continuing to spend time putting back what ageing takes out.

1. Vitamin E Cream Exfoliator £8 The Body Shop. 2. Vitamin E SPF 15 Moisture Lotion £10 The Body Shop. 3. Repairwear Intensive Eye Cream £26 Clinique. 4. Perfectionist CP+ Wrinkle Lifting Serum from £46 Estee Lauder. 5. Exfoliators £26.50 each Estee Lauder. 6. Resilience Lift Firming/Sculpting Face and Neck Creme £60 and Instant Action Lift Treatment £45 Estee Lauder.

Use intensive and targeted anti-ageing day creams and try face oils at night that will penetrate deep into the skin to provide much needed hydration (image 6).

by Helen Jane Taylor

The Handy Household The Handy Household - The Virtues of Vinegar

Most of us use vinegar to make salad dressings or to splash on our chips, but it is far more versatile than that. For instance, white distilled vinegar can be used to tenderise meat, a dash added to cooking pasta will prevent stickiness and adding a splash to a poaching egg will keep the white better formed. When you’ve finished cooking, you can even mix it with water to make a cheap, but effective, detergent. What’s more, if you’re finding it hard to lose weight, mix a tablespoon of any type of vinegar into a glass of water and drink daily. It will regulate your blood sugar levels and curb your appetite. It’s also worth keeping some white distilled vinegar in the bathroom, where you can use it as an antiseptic on cuts and grazes, to soothe painful sunburn or even, mixed with equal parts water, as a skin toner. Even the car can benefit from this ancient ingredient. Use it neat on a soft cloth to polish chrome or wipe clean dirty windscreen wipers and if you need to get rid of unpleasant odours from inside your car, just leave a bowl of white distilled vinegar on the car floor overnight. White distilled vinegar is equally as useful in the garden. Poured neat onto weeds and unwanted grass growing up through drive and walkways, it acts as an effective but non-toxic weed killer. It will also discourage cats and ants from congregating where they’re not welcome. So, whether you’re cooking, cleaning, gardening or even trying to lose weight make sure your home is never without this economical, versatile and totally natural product.

Gardening

Winter Perfume Plants The winter months can be a little lacklustre in the garden, sometimes even a bit gloomy. However carefully you plant your flowerbeds and borders, the number of brightly coloured plants for winter performance is rather limited. But one of the most important ingredients in a winter garden is perfume – it’s certainly something which can transform my mood in an instant. So think scent, as there are a few really brilliant winter perfume plants and there’s a good chance that they’ll be readily available in garden centres and nurseries right now. The Witch Hazels or Hamamelis are one of my favourite winter flowerers. With their unusual oriental-looking yellow, orange or bronzy-red spidery flowers on bare branches they look stunning. But of course looks are not everything and the perfume of the witch hazels is what really makes them such an asset - sweet, spicy and wonderfully good at wafting around the garden. Various colours are available, in shades of brightest orange through to rich burgundy. Wintersweet or Chimonanthus is another recommendation. The branches are covered with creamy to yellow coloured multipetalled flowers with a seriously sweet perfume. Like the witch hazel it’s quite slow growing and doesn’t need a huge amount of space. This means it’s a perfect choice for the smaller garden, but make sure you consider carefully where to plant it, so that you can enjoy every aspect of its display. If you like a bit of variegated foliage then try the Daphne odora ‘Aureo-marginata’, which has classic purple-pink clusters of flowers, a very strong perfume and leaves which are typically green and leathery but with a bright yellow leaf margin. It can be a little temperamental, but after its first year a Daphne generally settles in well and you won’t regret buying it. The Viburnums may be a shrub you think of as a summer flowering plant, but go for varieties such as Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ and the bright pink, trumpet-shaped flowers not only look good but also provide your garden with a sumptuous perfume. Planted in a sheltered spot, it won’t let you down.

1½ page format also Mahonias with their holly-like leaves can avathey ilaarebinleflower be a trifle spiky but when their brightest yellow spikes are really eyecatching and Mahonia japonica produces one of the sweetest perfumes you could wish for right from the middle of winter to early spring. If you prefer one with more upright flowers, go for Mahonia x media ‘Charity’. Mahonias are good in part shade or full sun. Another favourite of mine is the winter flowering honeysuckles. They are not as showy as their summer flowering relations, but definitely a plant I’d hate to be without. The bare stems are covered with small white-cream flowers which produce a tremendously sweet, spicy aroma both night and day. And finally, don’t forget the Sarcococcas or winter box. With their small, pretty but inconspicuous flowers they may not instantly leap out and draw attention to themselves, but the perfume of those tiny flowers is tremendous and really strong, making them a great winter flowering shrub that I’d recommend you try. Make 2012 the year you start Growing Your Own Vegetables! Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood.com select the vegetables you’d like to grow and you’ll receive garden ready vege plants PLUS every week Pippa emails you hints, tips and advice about your chosen veg. From just £39 for up to 66 garden-ready plants, 6 packets of seed and the weekly emails. For a limited time you can also order onion sets, garlic and seed potatoes, again with Pippa’s advice. by Pippa Greenwood

Health

How to Sleep Better

Sleep is an essential and involuntary process that is vital for maintaining good mental and physical health. One in four people are thought to suffer from sleep problems at some point in their lives, including deprivation and insomnia.

We spend approximately a third of our lives asleep. It is as important to our bodies as eating, drinking and breathing. Sleep helps to repair and restore our brains and bodies. Poor sleep can affect mood, concentration, judgement and reduce our immune system’s ability to fight off minor ailments such as colds and flus. Longterm sleep deprivation can lead to health problems including diabetes, heart disease and clinical depression.

Eat breakfast

Did you know, skipping breakfast can put you on the path to poor sleep? It all starts with eating breakfast within 30-45 minutes of waking, as there is a biochemical link back to our sleep. “Your levels of adrenalin are increased if you do not eat breakfast and your brain starts to shut down non-essential functions including the production of the hormones, serotonin and melatonin,” says sleep expert, Dr Nerina Ramlakhan. “Melatonin is the hormone required at the end of the day to sleep. By skipping breakfast you produce less melatonin and as your adrenalin levels are higher, you will feel more anxious towards the end of the day and therefore less able to sleep.”

Keep a watchful eye on your caffeine and sugar intake

Ensuring you eat healthily and minimise sugary snacks is essential for keeping your brain and body contented. Sugar causes the body to run on a higher energy pattern, which creates highs and lows as the quick-fix energy hit wears off. This, in turn, sparks a need for more sugar in the body via drinks and caffeine. Eating little and often and keeping hydrated with water, herbal teas and fruit juices, while minimising your intake of fizzy drinks and caffeine, will help ready mind and body for sleep. Nerina recommends avoiding caffeine after 2pm each day if you are having trouble sleeping.

Don’t eat too late

Eating your main meal earlier can also help with improving sleep. A large meal can impact on your digestive system and cause heartburn. Leave three hours before having a meal and going to bed.

Make time to unwind

As we rush through each day, balancing a busy lifestyle and juggling responsibilities left, right and centre, finding time for a rest can feel impossible. However, if the mind has no opportunity to process information from the day, it waits until bedtime to recap, when the frantic pace of the day has finally stopped. This results in a poor, restless sleep. Nerina suggests trying to build rest into your day by meditating or power napping. The 15-minute time out from your day will create that internal chemistry that is just right for sleep. Additionally, deal with worries or a heavy workload by making a list of things to be tackled the next day.

Make your bedroom a sleep haven

Create a restful space: your bedroom should be as quiet and dark as possible. “Managing technology is very important as you need a break from TV, computers, emails and mobile phones, before going to bed. Without this break, you are over stimulating your mind and it will be unable to find processing time,” says Nerina. Set boundaries with technology and keep all gadgets out of the bedroom. by Julie Penfold

Humour

The Irresistible

Rise of Posh ‘n’ Roll I am on a mini-break. I know, I know - I’m supposed to be in a rock ‘n’ roll band, and there really is nothing edgy about minibreaks. Problem is, of course, that in addition to being in a rock ‘n’ roll band, I am also (how do I put this rather delicate admission?) a little bit middle class. And when you’re a little bit middle class, there are some things that you simply have to do. Mini-breaks, dinner parties, parma ham, suspiciously expensive crisps. That’s not a matter of opinion, it’s scientific fact. Traditionally, musicians have done everything possible to hide their middle-classness. But things seem to have changed in recent years, thanks primarily to the massive global dominance of Britain’s archetypal Middle Class Rockstar, Chris Martin. I like Chris Martin. He doesn’t pretend to be the kind of person who drives limousines into swimming pools, he just makes nice music and tries not to bother anybody. Another of my favourite posh rock bands is Keane. Tom Chaplin, their erstwhile chubby-faced lead singer, looks like he should be standing behind the counter in a prep school tuck shop, or being dragged around John Lewis by a stressed yummy mummy in a wax jacket. Their music is sublime (in my humble opinion) but, in this country at least, they are hopelessly uncool. However, in the States the lads from Keane are not only considered genuinely hip, but they get to hang out with rappers and, you know, drop it like it’s hot (or whatever it is that rappers do). Being a toff, you see, gets you a long way in America. I discovered this myself back in 2007, during a gig in some obscure New Jersey town by the name of Chicken-Spit, or Scuzzville (I forget the exact name). Halfway through my inter-song ramble, a teenager in the audience interrupted me by yelling out ‘Say budder!’. After a short exchange during which I ascertained that he really did just want me to say the word ‘butter’, I obliged and this resulted in absolute bedlam in the crowd. There I was, responsible for rendering a roomful of kids absolutely helpless with joy, merely by exercising a well-rounded Home Counties accent. Extraordinary. Meanwhile, back across the pond, the trend for posh rockstars has actually started to get a little out of hand. Now, in order to become a mainstay in the UK Top

Mini-break heaven - poached duck egg anyone? 40, you’d better be not just middle class but actively upper-middle class. Florence & The Machine, Laura Marling, Lily Allen – each of them boasts an education that will have cost their parents somewhere in the region of £150,000. My band has performed at a number of high-society private functions in the last couple of years and, believe me, if I never meet another intoxicated banker by the name of Rufus or Chad with outspoken claims to being ‘like, best buds with the keyboard player out of Mumford & Sons’, I shall die a much happier man. Anyhow, enough of all that. As I was saying, I am on a mini-break. In the Cotswolds. And I really must dash because I need to take the roasted woodpigeon out of the Aga. Just kidding. It’s actually a grouse. Chris plays piano in South London power-pop band The Lightyears. The Lightyears, voted the UK’s BEST POP/ ROCK ACT at the Indy Awards, have played Wembley Stadium, toured across four continents and released a record with Sting’s producer. Chris is currently working on his first novel, “Mockstars”. Read more of Chris’ blogs and tour diaries at www.TheLightyears.com.

by Chris Russell

Herb of the Month

Herb of the Month - Mint Mint is a highly versatile herb used widely in teas, condiments, and sweets. It makes an excellent flavouring for lamb dishes and is often used as a sauce to go with a roast dinner. It is delicious when finely chopped and added to new potatoes, peas or green beans. Added to yoghurt with salt and pepper and even a little garlic, this will make a lovely cooling dressing for salad and in the summer goes particularly well with barbecued food. Mint and chocolate is a very popular combination both in purchased goods and for home made dishes. There are hundreds of variations of deserts that can be made with mint and white, milk or dark chocolate. Although mint has many uses at home, its use in commercially manufactured products is where it really comes into its own. Toothpaste, breath fresheners, chewing gum, indigestion remedies, sweets, ice-cream and even in some cigarettes, mint is very much part of modern life. The herb is very easy to grow – in fact a bit too easy as it can be invasive, so growing it in pots is recommended. Mint prefers a cool, moist spot in partial shade although, like many herbs, it will tolerate a wide range of conditions, and can also be grown in full sun. It can be. Although there are hundreds of varieties of mint, Menthe spicata (spearmint) is the most common.

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Home & Interiors Lighting can be used to emphasise good points or disguise problem areas, to highlight colour, texture and form, and to divide, unify or open up a space. In short, lighting can make or break a room, says Katherine Sorrell

Light Fantastic If you’ve ever felt that a room is boring, bland and lifeless, the chances are that it’s not your furnishings that are to blame, but your lighting. Poor lighting flattens and dulls, while clever lighting can give va va voom to the simplest of decorative schemes. Lighting isn’t just a practical thing, it’s psychological, too, reinforcing our sense of security, comforting us, and sending out signals of welcome, vitality and warmth. Because of this, it’s worth ensuring that any lighting scheme is truly flexible, adapting at the touch of a switch to your mood, the time of day, and the way in which you use each room. If possible, you should design your lighting scheme at the earliest stages, when planning how you will use the room and where the furniture will be grouped. Once you have worked out how you will live in the space, you can ask yourself where you will want light, how much you will require at what times, and what effects you wish to create. ‘When lighting any room it’s essential to design a scheme so that light comes from more than one source or direction,’ says Sally Storey, design director of John Cullen Lighting. ‘You can layer lighting effects in the same way that an interior designer layers fabrics and textiles.’ Professionals divide light into four main types: general light, which gives good overall lighting; task light, to brightly illuminate a specific area such as a worktop or reading corner; accent lighting, which highlights features such as pictures, shelving

Left: To add extra dimensions to your lighting simply plug in table and floor lamps in strategic locations. Spindle floor lamp, £100, Very, V 08448 222 321; very.co.uk. Above: Use an adjustable lamp at a desk or beside a sofa to provide task lighting for working or reading. Original 1227 table lamp, £149, Anglepoise, 02392 224 450; anglepoise.com.

or architectural detailing; and atmosphere lighting, which sets the mood, from a dramatic mix of light and shade to mellow pools of light in different areas of the room. Most rooms require three or four of these types, provided by a combination of downlights or spotlights on the ceiling, track lights, floor-level or wallmounted uplighters, wall washers, floor or table lamps, and special shelf or display lighting. Of course, we can’t all start from scratch when redesigning our lighting, so if you’re looking for a quick upgrade on a budget, you could just spend a few pounds replacing main light switches with dimmers, and plug in a selection of table or floor lamps at strategic points, enabling you to layer the lighting and emphasise special features. With these fundamentals in mind, forward planning and creative thinking are the keys to designing a lighting scheme. Think of it as painting with light, creating washes and filling in with highlights and lowlights. Each room is your blank canvas, but with imagination and a little effort it can become a work of art.

Lighting Room By Room Living rooms Ideally, install a range of lighting options, from bright reading lights to softer lights for relaxing and entertaining. You could also highlight shelving, pictures or a coffee table. Dining rooms A pendant hung over a dining table creates an intimate atmosphere. Fix wall lights at a lower level â&#x20AC;&#x201C; more appropriate when sitting. Kitchens Adjustable spotlights, on tracks or

in the ceiling, are practical for general light, with lights mounted beneath wall cabinets to illuminate worksurfaces.

Bathrooms Combine crisp, bright lights, in the form of ceiling downlighters, for an energetic feeling, with softer lights, such as wall washers, for a relaxing bath. Bedrooms require subtle, flattering lighting, A chandelier over a dining table provides mellow pools of light. The feature wall has been illuminated by hidden washers. Spica six-light chandelier, from ÂŁ389, All Up and On, 01462 349060; allupandon.co.uk.

although a good light for mirrors is essential. For bedside reading, wall-mounted lights free up space on a bedside table.

by Katherine Sorrell

Motoring MOTORING

Going Green

Top tips on turning your motoring life eco

THERE are some eco-warriors out there who believe the humble automobile is the devil on wheels. But in recent years car manufacturers have worked hard to change the car’s planet killing image with hybrids, electric vehicles and fuel-sipping eco models like VW’s Bluemotion range. But what if you can’t afford a new car and still want to go green? Well, fortunately there are ways you can cut your carbon footprint – and it doesn’t have to mean walking! Simply thinking about how and when you use your car, the products you use and the way you look after your vehicle can make a real difference. Simply planning trips to coincide with one another, not going out especially to buy fuel, and sharing a commute can all help. But it’s not just about how and when you use your motor – just as important is the way it’s looked after. Here are our practical tips to make car ownership greener. CHANGE YOUR STYLE No one likes to be told how to drive – but if there’s one guaranteed way of slashing your CO2 output it’s by changing your driving habits. Avoid harsh acceleration and braking, drive with the windows up to avoid drag and remove any unused extras such as roof racks. Stick to the speed limits and change up at the most economical point – roughly 2,500rpm for petrols and 2,000rpm for diesels. And think about switching off the engine if you’re going to be stationary for more than two minutes IN A LATHER A clean car might be a pretty car, but do you need to do it every week? If you really must spruce it up, use a bucket and sponge instead of a hose to save water or cut it out completely with a waterless cleaning agent like Miracle Drywash which lifts dirt with a cloth. SPRING CLEAN Carrying around your golf clubs and a set of tools can seriously inflate your fuel consumption – 100kg of unnecessary extra weight can increase it by as much as six per cent. Have a clean out of any unneeded kit

in your car and stash it away in your garage instead. CHECK IT OUT When your car is serviced regularly it’s not only less likely to break down, but it’ll be more environmentally friendly too. Good quality oil, fresh spark plugs and air filters are all essential – neglect any and your fuel consumption will be worse and your carbon footprint higher. PLAN AHEAD Using sat nav is not only a great way to make motoring less stressful, but it’s green too! By avoiding getting lost and taking the most direct route to your destination you’ll cut fuel bills. Use one with traffic jam detecting capability and you’ll cut CO2 even more. HOME ALONE By servicing your car at home you can ensure all parts used are recycled. Fluids, such as waste oil and antifreeze, should be taken to a specific recycling centre. Starter motors, alternators and some bulbs can also be recycled. Check tyre pressures as part of the service, and periodically in between – correctly inflated rubber saves fuel. AT YOUR SERVICE Even things as simple as insurance, breakdown cover and vehicle inspections can be green. The Environmental Transport Association provides all of them in a carbon neutral way. GREEN OPTION Try a fuel saving tyre – such as the Michelin Energy or Firestone Fuel Saver – which claim to reduce fuel consumption by adding silica to their compounds. And you could try ‘green’ cleaning products, like the CarPlan EcoCar range which offers a host of environmentallyfriendly products derived from vegetable and plant extracts.

by James Baggott, editor of Car Dealer Magazine (CarDealerMag.co.uk)

Poet’s Corner Pancake Day I really don’t like making pancakes, When I toss them they always go SPLAT, They’re a very strange shape - if she doesn’t escape, They invariably land on the cat. The last one went under the table, But at least it was fluffy and round, So I’ll stuff it with jam and a helping of spam, And I’ll scoop it back up from the ground. My husband adores eating pancakes, For him, they hold such an appeal, If he knew where they’d been, then he wouldn’t be keen, It’s quite doubtful he’d finish his meal. ©Jan Jack’s Perfect Verse 2011 www.perfectverse.co.uk

Science Facts

Only f or sub scriber paying s for tw o or more p ostcod es exclus ivity

Proverbial Life...

A Proverbial Life... The straw that broke the camel’s back...

Cracked There’s a broken tile in my bathroom that’s about to cause a major incident. This isn’t any old tile; this is the tile that despite my best efforts has remained broken for three years. This is the tile that may just signal the end of my marriage, my descent into screaming madness and the end of peace in this household. This is the tile that haunts me with its broken corner and cracked face. Over the years repeated requests to replace this tile have elicited a variety of responses from Mr Fixit (otherwise known as Husband). Promises have been made to fix it: ‘Tomorrow, at the weekend, when I get a spare minute.’ Multiple reasons have been given as to why this tile has not been sorted out: a lost tile cutter, a lack of adhesive, a slip of memory, a dearth of daylight (apparently tile fixing can only occur in optimum weather conditions). I’ve even offered to do the job myself. This was met with snorts of laughter and comments about my inability to change a light bulb; which is unfair as I can change light bulbs in an emergency...as long as there is a step ladder to hand and someone to catch me if I fall. I’ve been a reasonable woman – so far. I’ve left a respectable interval between tile fixing requests; I haven’t tutted, rolled my eyes, muttered under my breath or screamed at the top of my lungs - yet. In the normal course of events a broken tile wouldn’t overly bother me, but after three years I feel I’ve got just cause for grievance. Therefore, I have now decided to take matters totally, completely and utterly into

my own hands. I’m going to take unilateral action to bring ‘Tilegate’ to a satisfactory conclusion – I’m going to get someone in to do it. This is something I’ve previously offered to do, only to be met with looks of absolute incredulity and horror that I would even consider such disloyalty to this home’s Mr Fixit. However, I’ve been driven to take this action by a nugget of information that came my way yesterday. My Mr Fixit has offered to do some wallpapering in our son’s home. Now, not only has he offered to do it but he’s set a firm date for work to commence. I’m dumbfounded, flabbergasted and livid. I don’t begrudge our son his father’s help; however, I want this tile fixed! Therefore, I’ve already phoned up a very nice man who advertises locally. He’s coming next week to replace the tile, and he’s also going to have a look at the carpet that needs fixing down, the sticking door in the kitchen and the loose blind in the living room. I’m on a bit of a roll now. I have no intention of telling my beloved Mr Fixit that another man will be trespassing on his territory. Instead I intend to wait until he notices that the offending tile has been replaced; then I shall casually say: ‘Oh yes, I got someone in to do it.’ I can’t wait. by A. O’Brien

Recipe

Here’s a delicious winter warming mid-week supper that can be rustled up in less than 40 minutes, We’ve used chicken fillets, but you can use cheaper boneless chicken thighs or try strips of lean sirloin steak or pork fillet instead.

Serv

es 4

Read 35 m y in inut es

Chicken Goulash 2 tbsp sunflower oil 600g skinless chicken fillets, thinly sliced 1 red onion, peeled and chopped 200g button mushrooms, wiped 1 tsp smoked paprika 2 tsp plain flour 150ml passata (see tip) 150ml chicken stock Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 tbsp soured cream Boiled potatoes, to serve Fresh chopped parsley, to garnish

Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan. Add the chicken and onion and fry over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until both are lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and fry for a further 2 minutes. Mix together the paprika and flour and stir into the pan. Cook for 1 minute then gradually stir in the passata and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through. Serve topped with soured cream and boiled potatoes. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley to garnish.

TIP

Passata is simply ripe tomatoes that have been pureed then sieved to remove any skin and pips. You’ll find it in jars near the canned tomatoes in the supermarket. You can use a small can of chopped tomatoes instead - just whizz in a food processor or with a hand blender until smooth.

Technology Review TECH SPEC

Hi-tech gifts for the gadget geek in your life 18

On the face of it, St Valentine and technology don’t have much in common, but that doesn’t stop gadget sites and shops from trying to persuade you that nothing says “I love you” like a pink USB vacuum cleaner. If you avoid the novelty stuff, though, there are plenty of great gift ideas - and very few of them are pink.

Gadgets they’ll love Some of the best ideas are the simplest, such as the Hi-Jack Double Headphone Sharer (£7): when you travel together you can both enjoy the same video or music. If you fancy getting really cosy while you do it, you could also invest in a Double Slanket (around £25), a twoperson version of the sofa snuggler - although we wouldn’t recommend buying one if your beloved cares about being cool (in the fashion sense) rather than toasty. Many gadget sites are stuffed with hilarious housework-related gifts, such as the Diva Washing Up Brush (around £6), and novelty items such as the Y-front shaped Hot Pants Hand Warmers (£5.95) although perhaps best passed by if you’d still like to be in a relationship on February the 15th. Tea lovers might appreciate the awfully named IngenuiTEA (£17), a clever infuser that delivers the perfect cup of tea from loose leaves of any description, while the LEDembedded Model Mirror (£15.99) is perfect for fixing eyeliner - or guyliner - when your partner’s out and about.

Glowing wine glasses (£6.99) can add a touch of fun to even the cheapest plonk, while another awfully named gadget - Le Whif - promises perfection: all the taste of chocolate without any of the calories. Its secret? You don’t eat the chocolate; you inhale it. It sounds bizarre but it does work, lots of online reviewers seem pleased with it and at just £5 for a three-pack it very affordable. If the object of your desire really loves chocolate you could always invest in a chocolate fountain (from around £33, widely available) although it’s worth remembering that once the novelty wears off, it’ll take up a lot of space as it gathers dust in a cupboard. If you’re old enough to remember the days of music on cassettes, you’ll know the power of a romantic mix tape - but while cassettes have gone to the technology graveyard, the mix tape lives on in the form of Suck UK’s superbly clever USB Mix Tape (£16.95).

It comes in six retro designs, looks like a tape and comes with an inlay card for scribbling your song titles in carefully drawn biro, but unlike your old C90s it offers pristine digital sound and 900 minutes of digital audio on the enclosed USB drive. If the thought of sharing your pop favourites with your partner fills you with fear, perhaps because you’re a Cliff fan and your beloved is more partial to Slipknot, then don’t despair: technology offers all kinds of personalised gifts. The “Your Life’s Theme Song” plaque (£54.95) is a framed CD or 7” single commemorating a special day, such as the day you met, featuring the UK number one single for that day, while U Star Novels (www.ustarnovels. co.uk) will happily insert your name(s) into a novel. With categories including romance novels, classics and, er, vampires, there’s a title to suit most tastes. Expect to pay around £24 to become Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare’s play or to take a starring role in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Travel TRAVEL

In the Indian Himalayas, Khardung La has its head in the clouds and its height in doubt. Is this really the world’s highest road pass? The sign at the top reads 18,380 feet but some say that refers to the old mule track higher up. Measurements abound, with different results, but those who make it to the top stand firm. Give or take a little, ignore dirt tracks in neighbouring countries, and this is the highest driveable road in the world.

The world’s highest road pass

The journey begins with long leisurely zigzags waltzing back and forth across the barren slopes. Far below, the Indus river is just a scratch on the landscape, the oasis of Leh dwindles away and the mountain desert of Ladakh grabs you by the throat, like a snow leopard on a hunt. The South Pullu checkpoint is the last sign of human life except for bikers hungry for a challenge and truckers eking a living. After that, there is no turning back.

Khardung La

In this sensitive border area, the road from Leh to the Shyok and Nubra valleys over the pass is maintained by the army, no crash barriers but enough tarmac to call it a road and enough potholes to keep drivers on their toes. It’s wide enough for a truck and a half but traffic is one way, up from Leh in the morning, down after lunch. However, special permissions may be granted to bend the rules so it’s best to be prepared.

balancing above your head and the wilderness where even goats refuse to venture. There isn’t a tree in sight, just loose stones and shrivelled up lichen. ‘Always keep a cheerful attitude’, is the official advice so now and then a tinselled truck begins to honk and it feels almost like party time.

It takes a good two hours to cover the 23 miles to the top, unless a truck breaks down or snow begins to fall. Then there’s plenty of time to gaze at the precipitous drops, the boulders

Glaciers glint, peaks rise, jagged as a knife’s edge, and the first prayer flags flutter to wish everyone luck. Soon there’s a whole forest of them and you barely see the finishing line where the long awaited hut serves tea and hot noodles. It’s almost warm inside but up on the hillock, the shrine beckons. ‘Avoid running or moving too fast, you have gained 7000 feet’, reads the sign. Steps, rocks, you scramble to the top, light-headed, struggling

to breathe, but the views are worth every dizzying moment along the way, stretching right across the Ladakh range from the Zanskar glaciers in the south to the Karakoram in the north. The Nubra Valley spreads like a pinkish glow into the distance, clouds come and go and an overloaded bus becomes stuck on a hairpin bend. Visitors buy souvenir mugs in the army shop then head back down, an hour ahead of time. No one seems to mind. The sun is shining and the marmots are out, frolicking all coppery gold on the rocks, including a couple on hind legs entwined in a last minute courtship dance before winter. They’re not worried about metres or feet, they’re just having a good time on the bleak slopes of Khardung La. by Solange Hando

Working From Home

Working from home I drink a lot more coffee these days. Three or four times a day I find myself in the kitchen spooning instant into a mug, whereas there used to be a time when my morning fix (three teaspoons for that great big wakeup jolt) was all the coffee I drank. It’s not that I’m a caffeine junkie: actually I’m on the decaf now. Much to nobody’s surprise, my Type 2 has arrived as an entirely proper consequence of years of eating and drinking far too much and doing far too little; and as caffeine (so my low-carb diet book informs me, whether trustworthily or not I don’t know) stimulates the production of insulin, I have switched to decaf. I can’t say that I can tell the difference. Nor am I a coffee snob. I’ve always drunk coffee in preference to tea, but only because when I was a teenager I read a book called “How to be Bond” which pointed out that James Bond always drank coffee, never tea, because while coffee was sophisticated tea was common. But I’ve always been fine with instant. One boss of mine would only ever drink “real” coffee, which smelt divine but didn’t taste as good as it smelt. Also, it’s such a faff, whether filter or cafetière, and the end result isn’t so much of an improvement as to justify the labour (to my palate at least). Of course, the real stuff comes out if we have guests round, but other than that the pot gathers dust on the topmost kitchen shelf and the coffee itself is many, many months beyond its best-before date. (And mind you, that same book pointed out that Bond never drank beer either, and for much the same reason. I was never tempted to follow this example and took

enthusiastically to beer long before I was actually allowed to. And anyway, I do drink tea now – I had a bad bout of bronchitis last winter and felt a sudden craving for sweet tea. Nothing could have been more soothing.) No, the reason why I drink so much more coffee nowadays is that basically I’m a lazy hound and always used to dodge the coffee round in the office by pretending that I didn’t want one. The downside of this was that I couldn’t sneak off and make myself a coffee when I actually did want one, so I did without. It’s not entirely laziness, though. Some of the offices I’ve worked in over the years have had kitchens of such unspeakable vileness that you wouldn’t want to go into them, let alone drink anything that came out of them. Washing up, in an office kitchen, is nobody’s job and so is never done. I well remember the kitchen at the old Morning Advertiser offices in Brixton. It crouched in a corner of what had been a huge printworks, all cavernous and echoing since the actual printing had been contracted out years before. But when the printers departed it seems they left their mugs behind, still half-full and never washed since, and all sprouting caps of foul grey mould like beards on corpses. Even the sign that said “please wash your own mug” was mouldy. I am not especially ticklestomached but I would never, in a million years, have put anything that came out of that hell-hole anywhere near my digestive tract. Anyway, one thing I have discovered to be true, although previously I’d pooh-poohed it, is that coffee tastes better if it’s not made with boiling water. So I think I’ll go and have one now. by Ted Bruning

Puzzles, Quizzes & Cartoons Calcudoku

Cartoon 1

Calcudoku Each row and column should contain the numbers 1-6. The numbers placed in a heavily outlined set of squares may be repeated, but must produce the calculation in the top left corner, using the mathematical symbol provided. So, for example, when multiplied, the numbers 3 and 4 total 12: Any block of one square will x12 contain the number in the top 4 3 left corner. x72

+12 /4

x36

x90

x8 x100

/3 x6

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Cartoon 2

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The Cursed Maze!

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Can you get the Mummy through the maze and back into his Sarcophagus?

Cryptic Crossword Cryptic Crossword Across 1. One who takes liberties? (6) 4. Heat withers things generally (8) 9. Edited marine ﬂyers (6) 10. Writer with numbers for British hills (8) 12. Games rap causing riots (8) 13. Engineer’s stick to save (6) 15. Study with little time for depression (4) 16. Odd barrows formed into a blade (10) 19. Change Spam into drinks (10) 20. Shop that’s lied about (4) 23. Coaches designed to rust (6)

11 12

13 14

18 19

22 23

25 26

30 ©Puzzlepress.co.uk

30. Enters, causing dislike (6)

11. Noble people look mature (7)

Down

14. From a dream I produced wine (7)

1. Her card is twisted and scorched (7) 2. A burning desire (9) 3. Aye, now moving in a single direction (3-3)

27. Trains up to become a Russian monk (8)

5. Exploited American man, in short (4)

29. Do they look in people’s mouths? (3,5)

25. Enter unlawfully in sparsest form (8)

28. Diva, go and become a naked lady! (6)

6. Shattered Sudanese ballerina (8) 7. Greek coin I tossed (5) 8. Send-ups about to cease (7)

17. Working spy? (9) 18. Opening from a pure tear (8) 19. Bed on Great Lake society (7) 21. Tints an arrangement with no delay (7) 22. Hoarse, but managed to be on land (6) 24. A test about discernment (5) 26. Main point found in Yogi’s tale (4) 23

Codeword CODEWORD

Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a number between 1 and 26. The codes for three letters are shown. As you find the letters enter them in the box below.

5 5

14 26

24 20

5 17

19 21

19 16

The letters to the left belong in the squares immediately to the right, but not necessarily in the given order. When entered correctly, they reveal the titles of five Beatles songs, reading downwards. ↓

↓

R A

BCDLL

→

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→

5 11

NE IY OE L RB I I SR

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24 4

Pictograms 3 words

1 16

25 20

3 words

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AEPTU

↓

Only f or sub scriber EEEFO → paying s for tw o or IRTTY → more p ostcod es BEFIJ → exclus ivity

12:34

GHILN

13 15

Drop Out

↓

Pictograms

Drop Down

↓

2 7

24 25

General Knowledge Crossword 1. 5. 8.

9. 10. 12. 13.

Small mild-ﬂavoured onion (7) Plant grown as a lawn (5) Serving or used in place of another (9) Leguminous plant (3) Freedom from disputes (5) Swordplay (7) Giving up of one’s own interests or wishes in order to help others (4-9) Return to a former state (7) Sudden strong fear (5) Cherry stone (3) Serialised TV programme (4,5) Race run at Epsom (5) Formed by forcing molten metal into a mould (3-4)

Only f or sub scriber paying s for tw o or more p Down ostcod 1. Skin covering the top of the head (5) 2. Law passed by Parliament (3) es 3. Generosity (7) e x Short formal piece of 4. Area in the road to direct vehicles cl11. usCrocodilian ivity reptile 16. writing (9) (5) and provide a refuge for pedestrians 13. Banded with pieces 18. Graph (5) (7,6) 15. 17. 19. 20. 22. 23.

5. 6. 7.

of contrasting colour (7) 14. Burst inward (7)

Colour of the rainbow (5) Cold-blooded vertebrate (9) Sequin (7)

16 Across multiplied by two (4) 24 Across plus 3 Down plus 76 (4) One fourteenth of 15 Down (2) 23 Across plus four (2) 12 Across plus 14 Across plus 21 Across plus 20 Down (5) 12. Years in ten decades (3) 13. 4 Down plus 15 (3) 14. 6 Down multiplied by seven (5) 15. 12 Across plus 5 Down plus seven (3) 16. 19 Down plus the square root of 23 Down (3) 18. 5 Down multiplied by 15 Down (5) 21. 7 Across minus 52 (2) 23. 22 Down plus 13 (2) 24. 6 Down minus 1652 (4) 25. 6 Down plus 15 Down minus 32 (4)

Down

1. 21 Across squared plus 15 (4) 2. 21 Across plus 5 Down minus one eleventh of 21 Across (2) 3. 7 Across plus 15 Across plus half of 2 Down (3) 4. 12 Across multiplied by ﬁve (3) 5. Six squared (2) 6. 17 Down multiplied by ﬁve (4) 9. 201 squared plus 33 (5) 10. 18 Across plus 21 Across plus one per cent of 4 Down (5)

21. Ms Herzigova, supermodel (3)

Number Cruncher

Across 1. 4. 7. 8. 9.

Across

8 9

13 14

16 18

11. 256 squared plus half of 7 Across (5) 15. Ounces in six stone (4) 17. 15 Down minus 17 (4) 19. One ninth of 25 Across (3) 20. 19 Down minus 8 Across (3) 22. Seven squared (2) 23. Furlongs in eight miles (2)

Quiz 1 Love and Marriage 1. Which country music star wrote the song I Will Always Love You, which was covered by Whitney Houston in 1992 to become one of the best-selling singles of all time? 2. Before marrying footballer Wayne Rooney, what was Coleen Rooney’s surname? 3. Derived from a Greek word meaning “to love”, what is the medical name for the vertical groove between the upper lip and the nose? 4. In the board game Cluedo, what is the name of the only suspect who is known to be unmarried? 5. The song I’m Too Sexy by Right Said Fred begins with the line “I’m too sexy for my love”. What is the second thing that the singer says he is too sexy for? 6. Which famous actor, who died in September 2010, had been married six times and once said “I wouldn’t be caught dead marrying a woman old enough to be my wife”? 7. Who is the Greek goddess of love, beauty and sexuality? 8. Which famous person did Eva Braun marry in 1945? 9. Better known as the lead singer in a famous pop group, who had solo number one hit singles with Forever Love in 1996 and Love Won’t Wait in 1997? 10. In a 1995 edition of the BBC TV show Panorama, who famously said to Martin Bashir “there were three of us in this marriage”?

Quiz 2 Ologies

also available Each of the words on the left is defined as the “study of” something. as a quarte r Choosing from the list on the right, can you identify what they are the study pagof? e 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Brontology DendrologyO nly for subscr Etymology ibers paying Googology for tw o or more p Numismatology ostcod es Ophiology e xclusiv i t y Ornithology Selenology Tartarology Trichology

Birds Coins and medals Hair Hell Large numbers Snakes The moon The origin of words Thunder Trees

Simple Crossword QUICK CROSSWORD Across 1 Mail (4)

8 9

3 Smallest in length (8) 9 Rested (7)

10 Line of people (5) 11 To do with sums (12)

13 14

14 Early morning moisture (3) 16 Very angry (5) 17 Neckwear (3) 18 Despite (12) 21 Deal with (5)

20 21

22 Washing (7) 23 Interfering (8) 24 Enquires (4) Down 1 Egyptian structures (8) 2 Divide (5) 4 Tool for carrying bricks (3)

5 Specific needs (12)

13 Letters or texts (8)

6 Graceful (7)

15 Saturday and Sunday (7)

7 Long walk (4)

19 Leaves (5)

8 Still being tested (12)

20 Part of a flower (4)

12 Modify (5)

22 Prohibit (3)

Spot the Difference

Sudoku - Easy

Sudoku - Hard

Wordsearch Shakespeare Ajax Malcolm Alonso Nerissa Orlando Antony Banquo Othello Romeo Brutus Caesar Titus Cleopatra Ursula Cordelia Viola Demetrius Edmund Fabian Hamlet Hector Helena Henry Hermione James Find these Shakespearean names in the grid and the remaining letters will spell out a related phrase