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They say it takes more than blood to make a family. That never felt truer than reading a special story in this issue (p10). When war broke out in her homeland of Ukraine, Daria found herself a single mum to Vlada, 4, who has a life-limiting illness.

What was the last thing to make you smile? When my girlfriend told me some of the surprises she’s planned for our fourth anniversary trip to London this August, including a bucket-list visit to The Ritz for afternoon tea! Best job you’ve ever had? I’

As we strolled along a sundrenched Mexican beach on my 30th birthday, my boyfriend, Christopher, dropped to one knee. ‘Marry me?’ he asked. As I said yes, I’d never been more sure of anything. It was June 2010, and we’d met six years earlier. We work

Theatre Royal Bath was originally funded by what financial structure, where investors receive lifelong annuities from the scheme? 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

In the initialism GDPR, what does the letter D stand for? To find out, solve the puzzle… The three answers in this puzzle read the same across and down. The clues are given, but not in the right order. Read down the shaded squares to spell the prize

To stop my grandchildren slipping over on my laminate floor, I put some elastic bands over their socks. Make sure they’re not too tight! Aniko Ring, Exeter, Devon To stop my Labrador eating his food too quickly, I place a heavy ceramic bowl inside hi

Climbing into the back seat of the van, I hugged the desperate woman inside – her little girl, too. ‘Don’t worry. You’re safe now,’ I soothed. She didn’t speak English, but crumpled into my arms, in tears. I noticed how her daughter was underweight.

FROM £6 Tuck into a silky slip skirt or style with cream denim. Avoid heavy black accessories and stick to neutrals. Show off your tan in these ice cream shades. Keep cover-ups simple – an oversized linen shirt perfectly offsets these feminine hues.

Look closely at these two pics – there’s a difference in five squares. The five grid references (eg, 1A, 2B, 2C, 3C, 4D) are your prize answer. WIN 10x£20 Puzzle 5 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details ■

Q I have a patch of eczema on my left breast, which is just not clearing. It’s so itchy! Now my nipple is starting to be affected. Is it serious? Rosa, Slough A While itching can sometimes be due to factors such as clothing or washing powder, persist

Q I’m embarrassed about my bad breath. I often cough up white bits from the back of my throat, which smell really bad. What can I do? Louise, Hawes A I understand the embarrassment of bad breath, but there are steps to address it. Those white bits co

If you have numerous issues, talk about your main concern first. ‘Give the GP time to concentrate on your biggest worries rather than rushing at the end,’ says Dr Martin Stagg, author of The Real Doc Martin*. ‘Plan ahead and give a quick summary at t

Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p4. There’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled by Elizabeth Doyle, Bridlington WIN 5 x £20 Puzzle 6 1 Work hard 2 Limping 3 Part of a coo

Named after its capital, what is the southernmost of Portugal’s 18 administrative districts? Cross out a letter in each square to get a grid filled with words. The uncrossed-out letters in the shaded squares give the prize answer. WIN 3 x £50 Puzzle

What is the only Celtic language still spoken by significant numbers of people on the European mainland, as opposed to the British Isles? To find out, solve the puzzle… Enter the answers to the clues in the grid. Every word is an anagram of its neigh

Which US actor’s unreleased album, recorded in around 1989 and later bootlegged, is commonly known by the title Hollywood Affair and is rumoured to have been produced by her then boyfriend Prince? To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere

Q At a family wedding recently I spotted a gorgeous woman across the room. My friends tried to get me to talk to her but I felt too shy. Before I could pluck up the courage she disappeared. I saw her tagged in a few of the wedding pics online and wou

Sat on the loo in my mum’s cramped flat, I looked at the positive pregnancy test and gulped. No one can know, I thought, shoving the stick in my pocket. It was 1986, I was only 17 and no longer with my boyfriend. In shock, for months I went to school

As Zmeena Orr dances around her bedroom chucking fistfuls of cash in the air, it’s hard to believe that she grew up shy and timid. ‘I kept to myself a lot,’ she explains. So what changed? ‘I used to be an exotic entertainer,’ Zmeena says. ‘All the ot

WIN £500 Puzzle 10 TV presenter Helen Skelton and England rugby union coach Steve Borthwick were both born in which British town? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares t

To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle and the numbers in the highlighted squares will give you the prize puzzle answer. WIN 2 x £30 Puzzle 11 Your answer: ■

WIN £40 Puzzle 12 Which of these is the largest entirely man-made lake by volume in the UK? The answer is the one missing from the grid. CONISTON COWLYD DERWENT ERNE GRAFHAM KIELDER LOMOND MAREE MORAR NEAGH NESS PADARN RUTLAND TAY TEGID Your answer:

BUDGET BUY PRETTY PASTELS SIMPLE STRIPES

Which British city is twinned with Boppard in Germany and Morlaix in France? Solve the crossword, then read down the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. 1 Cheers actor, _ Danson (3) 3 Uncooked (3) 5 Owing (3) 6 Film, _ Force One (3) 7 Fis

Which Mars Inc chocolate bar, first produced in 1951, was an attempt to emulate the Peter Paul candy bar called Mounds? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles. ARE BOB COY DOT ORB ORE ROB SAY SOY TOT AURA OAST O

WIN £100 Puzzle 14 Which plant is the national flower of Russia? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the prize answer. Your answer:

Going on hols? Then you’ll want your spending money to go as far as possible… When it comes to exchanging currency before you set off, make sure you check the best rates online – you could save serious cash, especially compared to turning up at the a

NETFLIX ● Set in 1980s New York, this six-part drama stars Benedict Cumberbatch as puppeteer Vincent Anderson, the creator of hugely popular children’s TV show Good Day Sunshine. But when his nine-year-old son Edgar goes missing on the way to school,

The Original! Proving we’ve always loved a biccie and a cuppa, Rich Tea – called Tea Biscuit back then – were developed in Yorkshire in the 17th century. They started as a light snack for posh folk to nibble, but does this historical great stand up t

21 March-20 April Known for your direct approach and no-nonsense communication style, you may be asked to give advice to a friend this week. Help boost their confidence. ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more 21 April-21 May Mercury in Taurus gives you the o

Dressing my Barbie in a sparkly dress, I listened to my dad at the door. ‘No bother,’ he smiled at our neighbour. It was summer 1978 and Dad, William, then 43, or Billy as he was known, was an engineer in a factory. Was often being called on to fix b

The King of Hearts has Five Sons is a card game that has been proposed as an early antecedent of which modern board game? Unscramble each group of letters to discover six board games. Now fit them across the grid and you’ll spell out the answer to th

You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good-quality hand cream and this bargain buy from Aldi is certainly proof of that. Packed with nourishing ingredients like glycerin and oatmeal, this protects your hands all day long and ensures they are sil

After a waterproof, jet-black liquid eyeliner? Look no further. Promising no smudging, feathering or running, it’ll create slick flicks in no time. Using the applicator, dot this coral blush on the apples of your cheeks and blend. Thanks to hydrating

Solutions to Chat issue 18 (2 May 2024) Puzzle 2 Apricot Puzzle 3 Nest Puzzle 4 They were both born in Cornwall Puzzle 5 1A,2D,3B,4B,4D Puzzle 6 Oral Puzzle 7 Stark Puzzle 8 Baron Puzzle 9 Diane Kruger Puzzle 10 Hadrian Puzzle 13 Plums Puzzle 14 Long

Friends and neighbours who remember Lacey Ellen Fletcher describe her as ‘just a fun, normal kid’. ‘One of the sweetest people you could ever meet’, one old school pal said. A quiet girl, yet vocal about her opinions. Lacey went to a small private sc

Chat winners issue 9 (29 Feb 2024) £1,001 CASH L Jackson, Nottingham £500 CASH S Savill, Eye KA Pritchard, Caernarfon £250 CASH V Heard, Camberley N Freeman-Smith, Ipswich £200 CASH J McManus, Bridlington £100 CASH M Millar, Poole J Hargreaves, Rochd

To Princess Catherine, Spotting a pic of you on World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2023, my jaw dropped open. I already knew something was going on. My phone hadn’t stopped chiming with orders to my online earring shop. Then a friend texted me… Sh