Indholdsfortegnelse for 15 January 2026 i Take a Break Weekly

All but one of the words connected to crown green bowls, listed below, can be found in our wordsearch. Words run in straight lines in any direction. LOOK FOR ★ BACKHAND ★ BIAS ★ BOWLER ★ BOWLS ★ CAMBER ★ DELIVERY ★ DOUBLES ★ DRIVE ★ FLAT SHOES ★ FOREHAND ★ FRIENDLIES ★ GREEN ★ HANDICAP ★ JACK ★ KISSED ★ KITTY ★ LAND ★ LENGTH ★ RELEASE ★ RINK ★ RULES ★ SCORE ★ SINGLES ★ STRING ★ THREE ★ TRAIL ★ TRIPLES ★ TROPHY ★ WEIGHT ★ WHITES ★ YARD ON FINISHED? One of the listed words cannot be found in the puzzle and is the prize answer. Write it on the entry coupon, enter online, phone or text. See page 57.…

Each number in the grid below represents a different letter. We’ve placed one starter word in the grid which shows you that 22 = C, 20 = L, 4 = U and 15 = B. We’ve also filled in all the Cs for you, and you can do the same for the Ls, Us and Bs. All 26 letters of the alphabet will appear – keep track by crossing them off at the bottom of the page. FINISHED? Now, from the top, list the letters in the yellow squares for the winning word! Write it on the entry coupon, enter online, phone or text. See page 57.…

Sitting in the café with a cuppa, a sudden sensation came over me. I felt as if I was being watched. Sure enough, I glanced up and saw two big blue eyes staring across from the table next to me. Smiling, I raised my hands to hide my face. After a few moments, I flung them wide apart. ‘Peekaboo!’ I said, to the staring baby. To my delight, she burst into giggles. ‘She loves peekaboo,’ her mum said. Moments like that made me feel so clucky. I’d always wanted to be a mum. My dream was to have a husband, a house, a dog and two children. Each time I entered a new relationship, I would get my hopes up. Then when things ended, I’d feel that dream slip a…

Crystal clear When I’ve opened a squeezy bottle of honey, it can become crystallised over time. But I’ve discovered a simple way to get it runny again. I carefully pour boiling water into a jug or bowl, then pop the honey container into it and leave it until it’s completely cooled. When the honey looks clear again, it’s ready to eat. Clare Barrett, Croydon, Gtr London When stocking a chest freezer, it can be tricky to see what needs buying. So I write a list and tick it off when it’s been used up. It makes your supermarket shop more efficient. Gemma Summers, Blackpool, Lancs Think INK I found it a right faff to work out what printer cartridge I needed to buy when my ink ran out. So, after…

After spritzing my perfume, I smoothed down my hair and gave myself a once-over in the mirror. I’ve got a feeling it’s going to happen tonight, I texted the group chat. My boyfriend Jacob was taking me out for a nice meal, and I suspected he was going to pop a very important question. We’d only been together for eight months, but he was hilarious and affectionate, and I knew he was The One. Our first date lasted four days, and our relationship was like nothing I’d experienced before. At the restaurant in our hometown of Middlewich in Cheshire, I took a deep breath as I sat down. Jacob seemed jittery and nervous. And after ordering our meals, I noticed he was shovelling his food down quicker than normal. Then,…

Weekend warmers For off-duty days, you can’t beat a classic jumper, jeans and puffer combo. Add a thermal base layer for extra warmth Snuggly skirt Skirts aren’t just for summer. This kilt-style pick is ideal for layering up. Pair with thermal tights and a wool-blend turtleneck jumper for a super-cosy, chic look Winter workout Update your gym kit for colder days with a fleece-lined set that’s both soft and supportive. Finish with a fluffy borg fleece, that’s basically like a hug in coat form! Dress to impress Keep your go-to frock on rotation no matter the weather by popping a 100% merino wool rollneck underneath. Top it off with a matching hat and gloves for extra snug points Office ready Wool-blend tailored trousers keep you warm without losing the polish.…

Method Volumising Shampoo, Pure Peace, £6.95 Famous for their home scents, Method’s new shampoos and conditioners bring the same feel-good fragrance to hair. Revolution Pro Miracle Retinoid Refining Serum, £14 Wake up to smoother skin with this overnight retinoid blend, which tackles fine lines, texture and dullness in your sleep. BYOMA Foaming Rice Deep Cleanser, £13.99 A foamy rice-extract cleanser that lifts impurities and protects your skin barrier, leaving your skin soft, radiant and refreshed. No 7 Pro Artist Cream Eyeshadow, £11.95 One swipe and you’re done – this creamy, blendable shadow gives instant colour with minimal effort. Ideal for ‘I overslept’ mornings. 17. Lip Drench Hydrating Mask, £4.50 This little pot is a life-saver for dry lips. It drenches them in moisture and leaves them soft, pillowy and lipstick-ready.…

I was cuddling up to my boyfriend on the sofa when all of a sudden, he turned and said something that made my mouth flap open. ‘Sorry?’ I said. ‘You’ve got a what?’ ‘I’ve got a spirit attached to me,’ he said, completely straight-faced. I looked at him, wondering if he was joking. He wasn’t. ‘She followed me from the house I grew up in,’ he went on. I listened as he explained. Years earlier, he’d been told there’d been a murder on the land where his old house had been. As a child, he’d hear scratching above his head at night and, on one occasion, his dog had been thrown against the bedroom wall. That wasn’t all. Anything on his dad’s bedside table would be moved on to the floor…

ARIES 21 Mar – 19 Apr Your chart remains goal-oriented, Aries. Both home and away, you are on the up. Yes, you have some ‘must-dos’ for 2026, but you could be adding others to your list. With Venus cosying up to Saturn, you have vitality and staying power. As to romantic plans, where you once had doubts, you could be all in. Windfall is available TAURUS 20 Apr – 20 May How about drifting into fantasyland, Taurus? It really isn’t your way, is it, but you could find yourself doing just that under the current luminaries. Let go of being sensible for a bit and see where your imagination takes you. You should be pleasantly surprised, and could even sweep someone special off their feet. Chip into lively conversation GEMINI…

My boyfriend Lloyd slipped his arm around me as we walked down the street. We were on our way for a bottomless brunch in a smart restaurant and I felt so happy. But at the back of my mind, I thought, This won’t last. Dates with Lloyd always ended in disaster and sure enough, after we arrived at the restaurant, he started throwing back drinks. And before long, the manager told him, ‘We’ll have to ask you to leave.’ She assured me I could stay, but I was in tears, so we left together and began walking to the train station in silence. But when we passed a group of lads, Lloyd suddenly snapped, ‘I saw the way you were looking at them. Have you slept with them?’ I shook…

‘I’m sharing the luck!’ I was just leaving the house when the post arrived and, feeling curious, I opened one of the envelopes. My emotions shot off on a rollercoaster – I’d won Take a Break’s Big Cash Stash! I’ve been reading TaB and entering the competitions for nearly 25 years. I bought my first copy at the airport while heading off on a break before I had my son, Dion. Ever since, I’ve had it sent to me wherever I’ve been – I even had it delivered to the Falklands! I’ve shared the win with my TaB buddy, who’s been doing the puzzles with me ever since I got her a subscription to Take a Break Monthly as a Christmas gift. Some of the prize money will also go…

Eyes fixed on my dad, I waited for the first twang of the guitar. And then, suddenly, my sister Bonita and I were up and dancing to Money Honey. My dad Phil Brock, also known as Brockabilly, was a passionate Elvis fan and loved performing his hits. Bonita and I were his biggest fans – but not his only ones. Whenever Dad played gigs, hundreds of people would turn up to cheer and clap along. He knew so much about Elvis and his music so when I introduced him to my new boyfriend Sam, Dad quickly brought him up to speed. ‘If you read his lyrics, you’ll understand his creative genius,’ he told Sam. Dad had been in a rock ’n’ roll band called The Dimestore Gamblers, but later went…

Take a Break CHAT ROOM When my best friend told me she was going to be a granny, I was so happy for her. I bought a lovely present for the baby and looked forward to meeting him. Two years on, I’m still waiting, despite asking. How do I deal with the hurt? Marianne, 44: ‘I’m going through this right now. It’s like being back at school, so I’m following my mum’s advice from 30 years ago and looking for a new friend!’ Denise, 60: ‘Everybody has different expectations of how much we mix friends and family. Your friend may just simply be unaware you find her attitude hurtful, so tell her.’ Kerry, 49: ‘My friend became a grandma last year and I spoilt the baby rotten. I haven’t had a…

£50 STAR LETTER Lucky Clover Checking the contents of my suitcases, I felt prepared. For the past 10 years, I’d been flying out to Turkey with suitcases full of food, blankets and bowls for stray cats and dogs. ‘I just want to make a difference,’ I’d tell people whenever they asked why I did it. This time, I’d got six suitcases of supplies to take. Locals started to call me the cat lady! Returning again soon after, I found a tiny black cat tied inside a bin bag. She’d been dumped and left to die. ‘I’m not leaving you behind,’ I said, as I released her. I named her Clover and since then I’ve been raising money for Animal Aid and to cover the costs of bringing her back to the…

Claire Hasler, from Chelmsford, Essex, was one of 48 winners from Issue 40 (dated 9 October 2025). Claire won our Big Relax competition. Claire says, ‘My husband John and I were on holiday – our first without our 19-year-old twins Charlotte and Emmy – and I bought my Take a Break as usual. As I lay on my sunbed, I read the stories, finished the puzzles and sent in my answers in online. ‘I just couldn’t believe I’d won. I had to ask my husband to check it — twice! What a lovely end to a lovely holiday! Thank you, Take a Break!’…

This puzzle is like a regular sudoku, but with an added twist! Start off by filling in the squares in the grid, so that every row, every column, and each of the 3x3 squares contains all the digits from 1 to 9. NEED A HAND? To get you started, look at the top-left 3x3 block. One of the missing numbers is 4. It must go in the middle row as there are already 4s in the top and bottom rows of the other 3x3 blocks along the top. FINISHED? When you’ve completed the puzzle, use the boxes above to add up the three numbers in the pink squares in the grid – the total in the yellow box is the prize answer. Write this total on the entry coupon, enter…

DOWN 1 Backless sofa (5) 2 Steer clear of (5) 3 Noah’s boat? (3) 4 Disco hit for Rose Royce, - - - Wash (3) 5 Rubber wheel cover (4) 6 Military or sporting award (5) UP 1 Young man (3) 2 Material used for a nail file (5) 3 Race circuit (5) 4 - - - Ga Ga, classic Queen song (5) 5 Delivery transport (3) 6 Keen (4) ANSWERS Reading down 1 Divan, 2 Avoid, 3 Ark, 4 Car, 5 Tyre, 6 Medal. Reading up 1 Lad, 2 Emery, 3 Track, 4 Radio, 5 Van, 6 Avid.…

Running my hand across my collarbone, I gasped. ‘Can you feel that?’ I asked my mum. After feeling under the weather, I’d been diagnosed with glandular fever. But now, a lump had developed on my neck. My doctor sent me for an ultrasound but when the results came through, I was told it was just a swollen lymph node brought on by the glandular fever. Over the next weeks, I noticed it was growing, but I tried not to worry about it. Then one night, I woke with a yelp as a sharp pain shot down my groin. When it happened again three nights in a row, Mum took me to A&E and I was sent for an ultrasound. ‘You’ve got a swollen lymph node in your groin, but there’s…

Creamy chicken ciabatta bake Serves: 4 Takes: 1hr • 500g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed• 1tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling• 320g chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks• 300g unsmoked bacon medallions• 1 large leek, thinly sliced• 2 garlic cloves, crushed• 1tsp smoked paprika• Salt and freshly ground black pepper• 150ml chicken stock• 1tsp Dijon mustard• Large handful of spinach• 100g reduced-fat (50%) crème fraîche• 110g bake-at-home ciabatta, torn into chunks• 60g mini mozzarella pearls• Small bunch of freshly chopped parsley, to garnish 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C. Add the sweet potato cubes to a large baking dish, around 20cm x 30cm. Add ½tbsp of the oil and toss to coat. Bake for 20min. 2 After this time, add the chicken, bacon, leek, garlic and paprika to…

1 PICTURE A Who is this actor, recently seen on the big screen as Victor in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein? 2 Go-Jos, Pan’s People and Legs & Co are just three of the dance troupes who regularly appeared on which music show? 3 In Arthurian legend, what treasured object is protected by the Fisher King? 4 How many knights would take part in a joust? 5 PICTURE B Who is this model and recent I’m a Celebrity… camp mate? 6 Marie Antoinette was married to which French king? 7 In humans, what gas causes decompression sickness? 8 Superman and his alter ego Clark Kent live in which fictional city? 9 PICTURE C What name is given to a female hippopotamus? 10 How many grams are there in a hectogram? 11…

HOW TO ENTER Solve the clues and transfer letters to the numbered squares to spell out a message for Virgo. The yellow squares reveal our hidden star, who was born under this sign. Write his name on the entry coupon, enter online, phone or text. See page 57. Inexpensive • 13-51-24-39-62 Tricky phrase to say, - - - twister • 70-26-44-23-37-64 Tree that bears acorns • 58-5-74 Maybe • 65-34-41-7-21-54-16 No goals • 15-55-49 Male parent • 56-66-38-2-43-25 Another name for the Devil • 73-14-6-29-22 Well-known, renowned • 40-8-19-71-48-28 Song for two • 45-27-61-1 Verse • 4-47-18-31-67-57 Make up your mind • 69-3-46-32-20-10 Inhale and exhale • 36-60-52-72-30-9-17 Indian dress • 35-11-63-42 Confusion, jumble • 33-59-12-50-53-68…

I’ve got an ADMIRER I live near a park and often say hello to people I see regularly. One of them – a shy man with a dog – asked if I’d consider exchanging phone numbers. I said no as I’m married and so is he, but both of us are in marriages without physical affection. For me, it’s been 30 years – my husband’s choice, not mine. How should I react the next time I see him? TaB Reader Suzanne, 59: ‘My husband lost interest in intimacy after the birth of our second child and never saw me in that way again. For 25 years I simply accepted it, until one day I asked if he was happy being married to me. His answer – It’s better than being…

ENTER ONLINE AT takeabreak.co.uk OR SCAN For a full list of winners from issue 43 go to takeabreak.co.uk. Or send an sae to: Winners’ List, Take a Break, Bauer Media Publishing UK, The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL. All winners have been notified on Take a Break headed notepaper or by official email. How to enter 50p* TO SEND ALL YOUR ANSWERS! Entries to arrive by midnight Monday 26 January 2026 You can enter as many competitions as you like. Please use BLOCK LETTERS throughout. TEXT 65115 It’s now even easier to enter! You no longer need to register. ALL YOU NEED TO DO TO ENTER EACH WEEK IS… ● TEXT TAB01 then a space followed by a name, house number/house name and postcode, then your answers, all separated…

Start with a great magazine Choose from a huge range of magazine subscriptions and save on shop prices! greatmagazines.co.uk/jansale *Saving applies to initial trial term. The minimum term is 12 months. Offer closes on 1st February 2026. UK only. Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. Offers cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Trial offers auto renew on 6 monthly/quarterly payments thereafter. See website for our complete range of magazine subscriptions and prices. If you wish to cancel before the end of your trial period, please notify customer services at least 10 days before the end of your trial. Should the next payment have already been taken by the time you cancel, please contact us as soon as possible to arrange a refund. Any subsequent payments…