Innehållsförteckning för 20 February 2025 från Chat

Welcome to this week's Chat… Do you have a reallife superpower? OK, you can't fly or time travel but maybe you have an amazing memory that means you never lose an argument with your other half, or can eat whatever you like and never a put on a pound (grr!). In this issue, Victoria shares how her secret power is a super sense of smell (p30). It's so sensitive she even picked up a dangerous illness in her son. The downside? When the dog lets rip… Can't win 'em all! Have a great week, Kate Williams, Editor PS If you're entering the puzzles online, this is the link to use: comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Sarah Keavney, 45, Manchester Whizzing down the slide, I heard a voice I recognised. ‘Fancy seeing you here!' called Peter, our neighbour. I turned to see him striding across the park with a wide smile. Peter lived on the same road as me, my mum, Karen, then 24, and my younger brothers, Craig, then 4, and Lee, 2. Would sometimes appear when we were playing in the local park. Once, he'd even turned up at a caravan park where we were staying. ‘What a coincidence!' he'd laughed. Just 6, I didn't take much notice of him. Then, one evening, Mum had a night out planned with some neighbours when the babysitter let her down. ‘Peter's kindly offered to look after you instead of coming out,' she told me. After, she…

Easy peasy When I open a bag of frozen food but don't use the entire contents, I cut a thin horizontal strip off the top, then use it to tie and seal the bag. Lucinda Kirby, Thirsk, North Yorkshire A-doorable My mum Colleen kept tripping over her door frame and stubbing her toes, so she fitted two paint roller heads over the lip of the door frame to soften the blow. Her tootsies are very grateful! Emma Tredinnick, Camborne, Cornwall Purl of wisdom When I knit with my feet up, while I'm watching TV, I sometimes lose track of the rows on the knitting pattern. So I peg a ruler in place on my pattern and then there's no more getting lost with my needles. Denise Springthorpe, Gosport, Hampshire £25…

What do comedian Ross Noble and singer Olly Murs have in common? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the five-word prize answer. ACROSS 1 Sketches (5) 4 Young bears (4) 6 Volcanic explosion (8) 13 Allowing (7) 14 Places bets (7) 15 _ Newton, scientist (5) 16 Explosive device (4) 17 Rubbed out (6) 18 Song by Dolly Parton (6) 20 Large rodents (4) 21 Have faith in (5) 22 Nova _, Canadian province (6) 25 Sound made by a clock (4-4) 28 US state (6) 30 Japanese poem (5) 32 Good-looking (8) 34 Mark _, Star Wars actor (6) 35 Place to keep money (4) 38 Symbol, badge (6) 39 Precise (5) 40 Very clever person (6) 43 At maximum capacity (4) 44 Cattle herder (6) 45 Feelings (8) 48 Tropical fruit (5) 49 Aquatic reptile with a shell (6) 51 African country (8) 54 Attracts, entices (6) 55…

How do I fix my veins? Q There's a varicose vein in my leg that's now wiggly around the back of my knee and front of my shin. What can I do about it? Kathy, York A It's a good idea to see a doctor. Varicose veins happen when the valves don't work, causing the blood to pool and become enlarged and twisted, and can be painful. Common treatments include lifestyle changes like weight loss, exercise and wearing compression stockings to help improve blood flow. If these don't work or if the vein hurts, your doctor may suggest sclerotherapy, where a solution is injected to close the vein, or laser treatment, which uses light to seal it. In severe cases, surgery could be considered. If the vein is creating problems like…

A large spinel in the UK Imperial State Crown is commonly referred to as what type of gem, with which spinels have historically been confused? Solve the crossword, then read down the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. ACROSS 1 Decay (3) 3 Small carpet (3) 5 Muhammad _, boxer(3) 6 Metal ingot (3) 7 Female deer (3) DOWN 1 _ Dahl, children's author (5) 2 Clan (5) 4_ Lineker, former footballer (4) WIN 4 × £20 Puzzle 10 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Q My hair is looking quite dull but I don't want to colour it – how can I make it glossy again? Beth Reid, Dorset A Try Glaze Clear Conditioning Gloss in Sheer Glow, £15.99, Superdrug. It takes just 10 minutes to create a mirror-like shine and smooth away frizz. The clear formula won't impact your colour and it lasts up to 10 washes. Tinted options are also a fantastic way to boost your hair colour and improve its sheen. Jerome Russell Color Bomb, £14.99, amazon.co.uk, is available in 11 shades. It takes 10 minutes to refresh and tone your colour and lasts up to 15 washes. Even better, the formula includes strengthening bond-building technology so your hair will be healthier after each use. There are other ways to increase…

Dear Tiarnan, I can just picture you standing in the middle of the living room, showing off your new trainers. ‘What do you think?' you asked. It was November 2011. You were 11 and had just started secondary school, while I was 16, studying for my A levels. As the eldest of five siblings, with you number four, I was so protective of my bright but sensitive little bro, who loved clothes and shoes. I'd worried about you starting ‘big school'. But you'd taken it in your stride. Made friends, come out of your shell. ‘Looking cool, Tiarnan,' I said. A month on, in December 2011, I was waiting at the bus stop near our house and watched you dash out of the front door. It was just after 7…

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Lisa Radcliffe, 43, Ely, Cambridgeshire “What's behind a black hole, Mummy?' my son George asked brightly. As the headteacher of our local primary school, I was used to questions. But this one stumped me. I looked at my husband David, then 39, but he just shrugged. “I'll have to Google that one, darling,' I replied. It was April 2022, and our boy George, then 3, was the most curious child I'd ever known. Vehicles, space, dinosaurs… we'd spend hours researching his favourite topics. At nursery, he soaked up everything they taught him. And he was desperate to start big school. ‘I want to learn about science and history, because I already know my numbers,' he said proudly. ‘Won't be long,' I told him. One more year and we'd be buying…

For two decades, Kraig Kahler and his wife Karen seemed happily married. A wealthy and charming couple, popular in their neighbourhood. Karen was smart, talented, fun, and a great cook. Kraig had a successful career in local government. They had three children. Emily, who excelled academically. Lauren, who was quirky, adventurous, and always wearing Converse trainers. And Sean, the youngest, who was doted on. The perfect family. So Karen's sister Lynn was shocked when Karen confessed something. That, behind closed doors, things were not quite as they seemed. Karen told her sister that Kraig insisted on having sex at 8pm every night. Just another one of Karen's ‘chores'. Kraig kept strict control over finances too, wanting receipts for everything Karen bought. By 2006, she felt isolated and trapped. The stay-at-home…

1 Communicate Intimacy begins outside of the bedroom. ‘Foreplay starts with playful whispers and teasing messages throughout the day,' says sex and relationship coach Nina Mandair*. By openly sharing your needs, you build a sense of anticipation and excitement for you and your partner. ‘Re-enact fantasies together and deepen your intimacy by better understanding each other's desires,' adds Mina. 2 Learn your love language From acts of service to quality time, there are five love languages. Learning your partner's can make them feel valued and appreciated, while discovering your own can help you understand how you want to receive love. When you know this about each other, you can strengthen your emotional connection and intimacy, says Nina. Take a test to discover your love language by visiting 5lovelanguages.com. 3 Try something different Stuck…

Rayven Hennecy, 31 Dressed in a blue cocktail dress and dangling gold earrings, I was ready for a night of fun. My friend Lisa had invited me to her mate's house party. And although I didn't know anyone there, I didn't care. It was August 2021 and I needed to let my hair down. It had been a long week at my oncology job, treating children with cancer. Outside of work, I was an avid traveller, adored the outdoors. And I had a new, exciting job on the horizon, too. Was about to move to a military base to continue my oncology work helping families of cancer patients in the army. ‘Here's to new beginnings,' I said to Lisa and we clinked glasses at the party. Everyone there seemed nice.…

Top tip Use leftover roast chicken and add 2tsp cajun or fajita spice mix. Chicken nachos Perfect for a party or movie-night supper. SERVES 4 PREP 5 MINS COOK 35 MINS • 200g tortilla chips • 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed • 175g cooked sweet chilli or Cajun chicken, shredded • 200g tub tomato salsa • 150ml soured cream • 100g mature Cheddar, grated • 2tbsp pickled sliced jalapeños • 1 avocado, diced • Coriander leaves, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 170C Fan. Layer the tortilla chips, black beans, chicken, salsa, soured cream and most of the Cheddar into a large roasting tin. Cover with foil and bake for 20 mins until warmed through. 2 Remove the foil and sprinkle over the remaining Cheddar and the jalapeños. Return…

Aries 21 March-20 April With Venus now in your sign, you can expect positive change in your love life and finances. This powerful transit helps you to move forward fearlessly. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Something is ending in your life to make space for a new beginning. While letting go doesn't come easily to you, it's important to release what no longer serves you. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June At times your thinking feels scattered. As an air sign you have many ideas, but it can get confusing. See plans through to the end and try to stay present. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Your sign is ruled by the Moon,…

Barry M Fresh Face Fixation Setting Spray in Cherry, £5.99, barrym.com Lock in your make-up look for hours with a mist of this handy setting spray. It's also good for refreshing your skin when it's feeling a bit parched during the day. Zoeva Brush Shampoo Bar, £11.50, zoevacosmetics.co.uk You really should be cleaning your make-up brushes after every use – or weekly at the very least, to prevent germs. Just swirl them into this solid bar before rinsing until the water runs clear. Garnier Method for Curls Spray, £9.99, Boots Garnier's new range caters for curly hair, working brilliantly to tame, moisturise and nourish coils. Try the styling spray which leaves hair looking springy, soft and defined. E.l.f. Holy Hydration! Thirst Burst Drops, £2, elfcosmetics.co.uk Combining super-hydrating hyaluronic acid with…

BEHIND THE BIG CRIME Cars came and went as busy parents rushed around dropping their kids off at Rocket Tiers Learning Centre. A popular nursery in Baltimore, USA, staff cared for around 60 children. Amy and Justin Bowman felt grateful that they'd secured a place for their baby daughter Reese. Their eldest, Sawyer, went to the same day-care centre and loved it. They had no reason to suspect Reese wouldn't enjoy it too. At 8 months old, she was a sweet, smiley little girl. Her face lit up whenever her big brother was near. She had completed the Bowmans' family. Had been the first girl born to the family in over 40 years. She was adored by everyone, doted on. And she seemed to have settled in well at the…

This week we meet… Stacey Greenwood Bullock, 41, from Wakefield Favourite biscuit for enjoying with a cuppa? It has to be a chocolate bourbon or chocolate digestive. And it must be with a cup of tea, not coffee. Yum! Dream holiday destination? I'm a home bird, rather than a keen traveller, and prefer to spend my free time relaxed and cosy, in my lovely house. But if I had to pick somewhere, it would be a log cabin somewhere peaceful and snowy, where I could wrap up with my family beside a warm fire. Who is your best friend? My sister Kirsty. Only 15 months apart, we've always been close. Our mum Sandra was our best friend too, but we lost her to cancer in 2023 and since then, Kirsty and I…

In 2016, the Austrian Post Office issued embroidered stamps in the shape of what cultural symbol? The number next to the clue tells you which line the answer's in. We've put a section in to start you off! There may be two Across answers in one line. Down words fill 1 Decorative wall border • Cloak 3 Sweet in a human shape (5,4) 5 Band performance • Can 7 Bathroom or toilet fixture (4,5) 9 Wet ground plant • Fruit skin WIN £100 Puzzle 2 themselves in. The shaded squares spell out the one-word prize answer. Your answer:…

OVERSIZED SHOPPERS STYLE TIP These spacious designs can accommodate all your daily essentials and more, making them ideal for a shopping spree. SHOULDER STYLE TIP Pack lightly to maintain the bag's sleek and structured silhouette. TOP HANDLE STYLE TIP Carry it with confidence. This elegant style demands attention, whether held in your hand or draped over your arm. CROSS-BODY FROM £10 STYLE TIP Adjust the strap length to position your bag on or just above your hip for the most flattering silhouette.…

Natalie Fisher, 36, Nottingham True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Waiting in the car while my hubby took our middle son Isaac, then 8, to football, I couldn't help but cry. It was November 2018 and I'd usually have watched him play. But there was no way I could get out of the car, not like this. My itchy, flaky scalp had been causing issues for me since I had our eldest boy Joseph, in March 2009. But now, with three kids, including my daughter Edie, then 6, my scalp was worse than ever. Itchy, sore and flaking off all over my hairline, face and shoulders. Leaving embarrassing white bits of skin all over me. Doctors had said it was scalp psoriasis. A long-lasting autoimmune disease caused by skin cells reproducing too quickly…

You will need… • A proper teacup with curved sides, and a saucer to complete the look. Straight-edged coffee mugs are no good here. • Loose tea – whether that's herbal, green or black. Don't be tempted to cut open your usual teabag, as the tea will be too fine to make shapes. • A teapot (it might need a quick rinse first!). • Biscuits are optional. Just kidding, they're obviously essential! 1 Brew up and enjoy Add your tea leaves to the pot and fill it with boiling water. Let it brew for about 5 minutes, pour your tea into a cup and enjoy. Leave a small amount of tea in the bottom of the cup, swirl it around three times, while you think about your hopes, your worries…

Too anxious to work Q I haven't worked for around 10 years due to anxiety. But my husband and I are struggling to make ends meet and he's suffering from bad health. We're scraping by and I know getting a job would take some of the stress from him, but after being bullied badly at school I'm scared it'll happen at work. Please help! Josie, 32 A It sounds like anxiety's got you in a chokehold, love. If you haven't already, go and see your GP who can recommend ways to cope with it. Once you've got a grip on that you can think about work. You could try part-time work or even a remote role. Little steps can make a big difference, petal. You may find working helps your…

3 Ways to… rent your things Could you rake in some extra cash? Here are some ideas to get you started… 1 Take in a lodger You can earn up to £7,500 per year tax-free by letting out furnished accommodation in your home (although this is halved if you share the income with your partner or somebody else). So if you have a spare room, put it to work. You can find out more information by heading to gov.uk/rent-room-in-your-home. You don't need to own your house to use the scheme but if you're renting, check whether you need your landlord's permission first. If you have a mortgage, you may need permission from your lender, too. And remember to speak to your home insurer. You'll discover more invaluable information on what else to consider when…

BAFTA Film Awards BBC1 • David Tennant hosts as the movie world's glitterati gather at London's Royal Festival Hall for the annual awards bash. Thriller Conclave is up for 12 awards including Best Film and Leading Actor, which sees Ralph Fiennes pitted against the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Hugh Grant and Adrien Brody. And if you enjoyed Wicked recently, the musical's stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are up for the Leading Actress and Supporting Actress award respectively, while the Wallace and Gromit adventure Vengeance Most Fowl, which aired on BBC1 at Christmas, is also in line for gong or two. DON'T MISS DON'T MISS The White Lotus SKY ATLANTIC • We're off to Thailand for the longawaited third series of the outrageous mystery comedy drama. Set in another luxury…

Kiera Cook, 22, Swindon My phone beeped and my stomach fluttered. It was January 2017 and, aged 14, I'd just got a text from the boy I fancied. I really like you, it said. I'd met Claudio, then 15, through friends a few weeks earlier. Chatty and funny, I'd fancied him straight away. Now I knew the feeling was mutual. Our first date, days later, was so much fun and before long we were inseparable. Giggling in McDonald's, cuddling in the cinema. My first boyfriend. Only, my mum Cheryl, then 48, wasn't keen. ‘I have a bad feeling about him,' she frowned. ‘Stop being overprotective,' I sighed. Claudio was perfect. But, seven months into our relationship, I saw another side to him. Out one evening, he refused to walk me…

WIN £500 Puzzle 18 The answers to all but one of these quiz questions can be found hidden in this wordsearch grid, reading forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally. To help you, we'll tell you that the answers are in alphabetical order in each section. However, one answer can't be found in the grid. This is your prize answer. MARY POPPINS 1 Which country was P. L. Travers, the author of the Mary Poppins books, born? (9) 2 A 2013 film, starring Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks, about the making of the 1964 film of Mary Poppins, was entitled Saving _? (2,5) 3 According to the song from Mary Poppins, sung by Julie Andrews, a spoonful of what helps the medicine go down? (5) THE SOUND OF MUSIC 4 Which…

Chat winners issue 45 (7 Nov 2024) £1,001 CASH L Flemming, Warrington £500 CASH D Chesters, Nottingham D Shemmings, Woodbridge £250 CASH C Packham, Merthyr Tydfil J Turnbull, Chester-le-Street £200 CASH J Pyrah, Bradford £100 CASH J Roper, Blackwood S Walmsley, County Down K Bowman, Dumfries £50 CASH J Law, Edinburgh D Michael, Barnsley D Wheeler, Blandford Forum P Vincent, Plymouth R Wallace, Redhill E Hughes, Tidworth £40 CASH H Duncan, Edinburgh £30 CASH A Emony, Devon G Goodwin, St Columb £25 CASH D Merrett, Egremont E Morris, Caernarfon Anyone from your town in the list this week‥? £20 CASH D Staddon, Poole R Crudgington, Bilston N Hughes, Fraserburgh E Crutcher, Bournemouth F Waterworth, Sunderland C Hoy, Wigan E Riordan, Birmingham J Henderson, Bangor T Hall, Treorchy M Norris, Alresford A Bryant, Bristol V Pratley, Chipping Norton M Stewart, Inverness I Shaw, Blackburn M Smith, Cannock H Bennett, Nuneaton K Atkinson, Nantwich A Popplewell, Isle of Man J Smith,…