Table of contents for 31 March 2022 in Chat

NUMBER JIG Multiply the number of signatories to the United States Declaration of Independence by the year in which it was signed. Fit these numbers into the grid. One number doesn’t fit. This is the prize answer. 3 digits 269 320 463 584 609 618 662 706 837 847 4 digits 1314 2487 2571 3216 3422 3569 4324 4543 4669 5650 7226 7673 9810 5 digits 19287 25973 38370 38948 44370 50726 63027 63243 66900 66963 99016 99456 6 digits 200694 497403 904039 7 digits 3422394 4670257 9367163 8 digits 22596955 38630667 43549353 58195676 WIN £250 Puzzle 1 Your answer: SPIRAL XWORD What unit of area, measuring 100fm2, was invented by scientists to describe the cross-sectional area of a nucleus? The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins…

TU at SAINSBURY’S All sizes 8-24 STYLE TIP Great for dressing up or down – keep things on top plain to balance out the busy print. GEORGE at ASDA All sizes 8-24 STYLE TIP A denim dress never goes out of style. Look for shapes with a built-in belt to cinch your waist. NUTMEG at MORRISONS All sizes 8-22 STYLE TIP Swap your trusty jeans for dungarees and add a striped Breton T-shirt underneath. F&F at TESCO All sizes 6-22 STYLE TIP Try teaming a slogan sweater with a satin midi skirt for a stylish laid-back look.…

In November 2021, at Genesee Circuit Court, Michigan, Jason Harris, 47, pleaded not guilty to murder. But the prosecution argued he’d intentionally poisoned his wife. Secretly lacing her cereal with heroin, in a bid to end their marriage, keeping the children and his money. After all, he’d been seeing other women. And only nine days after the death of his wife of 11 years, he’d booked a plane ticket to the city where one of the women, who’d soon moved in with him, lived. In Jason’s defence, lawyers argued he hadn’t played a part in his wife’s death. That he was innocent, had in fact been concerned about Christina’s wellbeing. But Harris was eventually found guilty on all charges. In December, Jason Harris was sentenced to life behind bars, with…

Sue Memmory, 49, Derby Looking around the tiny loft, I wondered what to do with the empty space. Maybe a nursery, complete with a wooden rocking horse, or a library filled with carefully filed books? Or perhaps something a little more unusual? It was spring 2020 and the rest of my doll’s house was all kitted out, but this last room stood empty. Suddenly I had an idea. Thinking back to a book I’d read, Fifty Shades Of Grey, I chuckled. I could see it now. A miniature sex parlour! Just like the one in the saucy book, where Christian Grey and Ana Steele got up to their kinky antics. Complete with handcuffs, chains and a luxurious double bed. I’d been making doll’s houses since my two daughters had begged…

Gazing lovingly at each other, it’s clear to see that Abigail, 23, and Adam, 28, are madly in love. But their relationship is a little different… Because Abigail, from Greenville, North Carolina, US, feels she has more in common with a typical house cat than most young women her age. Just like your average moggy, Abigail – who works as a vet assistant – enjoys long naps in her cat bed and getting head pats and ear scratches from her caregiver Adam. The couple, who have been together for a year and a half, are clearly smitten. ‘When she first walked into the room, I was kind of star struck,’ Adam says, admitting he thought she was gorgeous. Abigail says Adam is the first person she’s dated who she doesn’t…

Unsure where to start, I turned to my biggest supporter. Chris. He was devastated that I’d been feeling so low. ‘We’ll find a way to make this better, together,’ he said. After some research, he suggested we joined Slimming World as a couple. ‘I could do with losing a few pounds, too,’ he smiled to me enthusiastically. I’d tried it once before, but this time felt different. So, although I was nervous, I agreed. Holding my hand tightly as we walked into the first meeting, weeks later, I’ve never been so grateful to have Chris by my side. But I was still too nervous to speak. Chris, meanwhile, was chatting away to everyone. And when it was my turn to be weighed, he smiled at me encouragingly, squeezing my hand.…

Moroccan midweek roast Shredded leftover chicken and roasted veg are delicious piled into wraps for a tasty lunch. SERVES 4 PREP TIME 15 MINS COOK TIME 30 MINS • 5 medium sweet potatoes, quartered • 1 red onion, quartered and sliced • 4 courgettes, sliced • 6 chicken breast fillets, skin on • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 6tsp harissa paste • 2tbsp coriander leaves • 2tbsp olive oil 1 Heat the oven to 220C/Gas 7. Take a very large roasting tin – or use two. Tip in the sweet potatoes, onion and courgettes. 2 Add the chicken, pierce the flesh several times, season generously, add the garlic and spread over the harissa paste. 3 Sprinkle with coriander leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 15 mins, turning…

25-31 March 2022 Aries 21 March-20 April While Saturn is in direct motion, your mind is able to focus with laser-like accuracy, your energy’s unlimited and you want to achieve things. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Consider how you can turn a hobby into a venture, as your business acumen is high. All things homely – such as baking or interior design – would suit you. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Continuing success could find you spending lots of time on the phone and sending emails. Be persistent and you’ll reach everyone eventually. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July You want to be more outspoken, so pluck up the courage and speak your…

LETTER of the week! Q I have green eyes and want to emphasize the colour. What eyeshadows should I be using? Sara Howard, 52, Warwick A Congratulations! Green is the rarest eye colour with an estimated 2% of the population lucky enough to have them. With such a striking natural feature it would be easy to pop on a mascara and call it a day but knowing which eyeshadow to go for can make your colour pop. The best shades to use? Rich, orange-toned browns, golds and coppers. For lots of shades in one handy palette try Catrice Cosmetics Pro Natural Spirit Eyeshadow Palette in Neutral Elements, £9.95, justmylook.com. With a mix of matte and shimmer, and a variety of colours, it can easily take your look from natural to…

Chat winners issue 52 (30 December 2021) £1,001 CASH S Anderson, Manchester £1,000 CASH R Ingram, Leeds £500 CASH S Jeacock, Bicester G Brown, Bournemouth £250 CASH V Harrison, Mansfield £150 CASH E Gargaro, Dumbarton £100 CASH Mrs Jamieson, Leven J Griffiths, Rayleigh S Dearden, Manchester M Leverton, Mansfield D Buxton, Heanor £60 CASH L Swann, Walsall £50 CASH S Savchenko, Chorley I Harris, Basingstoke V Hunter, Poole £30 CASH A Rolf, Wallsend B Hamley, Burnley S Spencer, Wolverhampton D Locke, Hereford J Turnbull, Chester-le-Street £25 CASH C Wilkinson, Liverpool P McDowell, Irvine P Phillips, Solihull S Ruff, Rainham M Tuck, Lutterworth V Beattie, High Wycombe V Smith, Newmarket D Prince, Leeds R Ingram, Woodlesford PUZZLE 1 11304 PUZZLE 2 UMAMI PUZZLE 11 7 2 9 Anyone from your town…

PETE BROCKLEHURST, 42, FROM LEICESTER, SAYS: I’m nominating our RAF Association volunteer, Vron, 58, as a local hero. Despite receiving a terrifying diagnosis on the anniversary of her father’s death from cancer, she came out fighting. In October 2021, she was told she had breast cancer. But she wanted something good to come from it. So, soon after, she started fundraising for causes close to her heart by dressing up as her favourite characters for her chemotherapy appointments. So far, she’s dressed up as Batwoman, Harley Quinn, and a Christmas elf! Not only is she raising money, she’s bringing a sense of joy and muchneeded distraction to her fellow patients. She also wants to encourage all women to go for their routine breast screening appointments. We couldn’t be prouder to…

What song always makes model Kate Moss cry? To find out, solve the crossword, then read down the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. WIN £1,001 Puzzle 4 Across 11 Male parent (6) 12 Vigorous (9) 13 Very dry (4) 14 City in Devon (8) 15 Sugary (5) 16 Vic _, comedy partner to Bob Mortimer (6) 17 Peculiar (7) 18 Actor who played Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings (3,8) 20 Redbreast (5) 22 Accessories (9) 24 Leaving (5) 28 Artist (7) 29 A fourth (7) 32 Cream-filled pastry (6) 34 Break in a performance (8) 36 The Grand _, horse race (8) 37 Pardon or forgive (6) 39 Variety of 49 Down (7) 40 Saturday and Sunday (7) 45 Part of the face (5) 47…

Kiren Montford, 27, Dudley, West Midlands True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Sitting in my hospital bed, in July 2018, I was looking forward to getting back to normal. I’d spent five months unable to walk, my legs locked in 45-degree angles due to rheumatoid arthritis. I’d just had surgery to force them straight and had months of physio ahead. Only, as I waited for the doctor to discharge me, I vomited. ‘It must be a reaction to the medication,’ the doctor said, signing the papers so I could leave. I was unable to walk, work or drive, so my wonderful parents transformed their living room into my bedroom and took care of me. But I was still nauseous and lost my appetite. Even the thought of plain toast was too much. Weight…

Lynda Guiney, 59 Sitting in the living room at a friend’s party, I spotted a friendly face. ‘I don’t think we’ve ever met before,’ I said to the woman smiling over to me. Though I’d seen her around locally. Our kids were close in age, we had mutual friends, and now, in our 30s, we even lived on the same street. So I was pleased to finally get the chance to chat to her. And boy, did we chat?! Hours passed as we nattered about our families, friends, her training as a special-needs assistant. And at the end of the party, we promised to meet up for coffee. Soon, we were joined at the hip, meeting every couple of days. Patricia came to feel like family to me – we…

FILL ME IN Dr Giuseppe Donati is credited with inventing the modern form of what instrument in the 19th century? 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. WIN £100 Puzzle 14 Your answer: CIRCLE TIME Which European capital city stands on the Tagus river? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles. 3 letters ALL BIB RIB RIO TAB TAG TOO WEB WIG 4 letters AFAR AWAY DRAG LIDO LIMB WAGE 5 letters BASIL GIFTS NOOKS YELPS 6 letters FAINTS FURROW FOLLOW GLOBES 7 letters BALLOON BUFFALO WIN £100 Puzzle 15 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

3 ways to…stop impulse shopping Do you find that you splash the cash to cheer yourself up, but then regret it? Here’s Fidelity International’s Emma-Lou Montgomery on how to stay in control. 1 Know your triggers If you’re prone to overspending and then regretting it, take action. ‘Track your spending to see when you’re tempted to impulse shop; this will help you identify what can trigger it,’ says Emma-Lou. Then think of ways to manage this next time. For example, if you find that you browse retailers’ websites when you’re bored and often end up spending, next time you’re feeling at a loose end and tempted by online shopping, do something else instead, like phoning a friend or going for a run. 2 Take control Do you stick your head…

Revlon Ultra HD Snap! Nail Polish in Cherry On Top, £6.99, feelunique.com If you’re fed up with painstakingly applying nail colour for it to chip just hours later then swap to this clever formula. Not only does it last a long time, it gives great colour with one coat and doesn’t contain any nasties. Garnier Skin Active Vitamin C Anti-Dark Spot Serum, £9.99, Boots When your skin looks dull, boost its radiance with a do-it-all serum. Its packed with powerful vitamin C to brighten dark spots, niacinamide to soothe inflammation and acnefighting salicylic acid. L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Resurfacing Gel Wash, £14.99, Boots This 3.5% glycolic acid face wash gently exfoliates to give a smoother complexion. Massage into damp skin for a minimum of 15 seconds then rinse off to reveal…

When a teenage boy vanished in June 1996, the community were desperate to find him. Silvino Rodriguez, 14, was from Boyaca, Colombia. His frantic mum had heard that he’d last been seen in a shop with a stranger, who was buying sweets for children. So where was he now? Before long, there was a terrible discovery. A headless body was found on the outskirts of the city. It was young Silvino. He’d been raped and tortured, his throat slit. Horrific. The police searched for the mysterious stranger who’d been seen buying sweets in the shop. Eventually, a man was brought in for questioning. Softly-spoken Luis Garavito admitted buying sweets for Silvino that day but insisted he’d left the shop alone. There was no evidence linking him to the crime. So…

Marian Gomoh, 58, London Bringing a child into the world is such a privilege. As a midwife of 18 years, delivering thousands of babies, I know that each life is as precious as the next, and I was blessed to have my own two beautiful children. I moved to London in 1988 after marrying my husband David, then 30. Our daughter Lizzie was born in 1990, and when our son, also David, followed in 1996, our family was complete. Our home was filled with laughter and love. We didn’t have a lot, but we had each other. ‘Love you, Mummy,’ David said every night before bed. Even when he grew up, he still called me Mummy. When he graduated from university in September 2018, I was so proud. He wanted…

Melissa-Mae Lita Nzau, 24, London Getting dressed for school, I scanned my body in the mirror. Yep, my boobs were still there. And they were still enormous. Like two big beach balls stuck to my chest. Pulling my jumper over my head in disgust, I sighed. It was November 2011. I was 13, and my boobs were already a 38E. They’d been growing since I was 10, and they weren’t showing any signs of slowing down. I hated them and the attention they brought me. Adult men would catcall me on my way to school. And boys made nasty comments the minute I stepped through the school gates. But worse than all of that, my boobs stopped me from doing things I enjoyed. I loved athletics, but I couldn’t run…

I’m spotty down below Q I have itchy, red spots in my pubic area and brown powdery stuff in my knickers. What is it? Georgie, Brentwood A Could be symptoms of pubic lice, also known as crab lice. The spots are an allergic reaction to bites, and – sorry, this is yucky – the brown powder is louse poo. Often you don’t see the lice themselves because they’re small, just a couple of millimetres, and scuttle out of the way. It’s easier to spot their eggs, called nits – tiny yellow-white blobs on the base of a pubic hair. Treatment means lotion or cream to kill the lice, but it’s important to see your sexual-health clinic to confirm the diagnosis, check for other sexual infections and make sure any sexual…

OVER TO YOU Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p5. There’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled by Lisa Best, Crewe, Cheshire ACROSS 1 Chickens lay them 2 Under a tree 3 Party 4 Elderly DOWN 1 Therefore 2 Football score 3 Bullion 4 Don’t go WIN 5x £25 Puzzle 6 Your answer: CHAIN WORDS A brief naval conflict in October 1784 became known as the what ‘War’, named after the only item said to be damaged? Get from Start to Finish, making words by joining two boxes together as you go, eg: TI + ME, ME +… you decide! When you reach Finish, two unused boxes join together to give you the…

ARROW WORD Featuring on the country’s coat of arms, what is the national animal of Guyana? 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. WIN £1,000 Puzzle 10 Your answer: SUDOKU 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 £60 Puzzle 11 Your answer: WORDSEARCH What is the name of the search engine launched by Chinese technology firm Huawei in 2020? The answer is the one missing from the grid. BARK BRANCH BULB FLOWER FRUIT LEAF PETAL POLLEN ROOT SEED STAMEN…

My affair has lasted 20 years Q I’ve been married for 44 years with two adult kids. However, I’ve been in a long-distance affair for 21 years. But due to COVID-19, it’s been three years since we met up. I’m still with my husband, we are both retired, and he is my carer as I have osteoarthritis. I recently found out my lover has prostate cancer. I can’t bear losing him. What can I do? Edie, 66 A It’s not my job to tell you off for being unfaithful. What I will ask is what is the reason you’re having an affair? My gut tells me that it’s because your husband is your carer. You’re looking for that intimacy and attraction again. It sounds to me like your hubby is…

Yvonne Smith, 38, Falmouth, Cornwall Trailing behind my husband Chris, then 65, I tried to keep up as he bounded along the footpath. Despite being almost 30 years older than me, he tackled the slope easily. ‘Slow down,’ I snapped. I was embarrassed about how breathless I was, and taking it out on him. It was March 2019, and I desperately wanted to be able to glide alongside my fit and healthy hubby. But at 5ft 4in and a size 28, I just couldn’t keep up. Every time we set off for a walk around the local beaches and hills, I’d huff and puff a mile behind. Chris would try to encourage me along, but I’d struggle and lose my temper. He was supportive, but I felt ashamed. Only, after…

Lacura Makeup Setting Spray, £3.99, Aldi They’re notorious for their brilliant and affordable products that are dead-ringers for high-end brands, and Aldi’s setting spray is proving to be another beauty industry game-changer. When you’ve finished your make-up, spritz this all over your face and let it dry – it’ll keep your makeup looking fresher for longer. Essence Hydro Hero 24hr Hydrating Tinted Cream, £3.99, justmylook.com To create a clear and glowing complexion, give this foundation a try. It’s full of moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid, feels undetectable on skin and also contains SPF20 for year-round sun protection.…

PUZZLES 13 CLOSING DATE FOR ALL ENTRIES IS 12 APRIL 2022 (Three days later for postal entries) PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS THROUGHOUT TEXT Simply text CHATB followed by a space and your answer/s (spaces between answers please) full name, door number and postcode to 63333 Texts cost 50p plus standard network charge (maximum 160 characters per text). When you enter by text, you may in future get SMS marketing messages from Future plc and Chat. If you want to receive these, please end your text with OPTIN. Texting tips • Don’t put any spaces in an answer that has several words: eg: CHATISTHEBEST not CHAT IS THE BEST. • If the answer is a name, you need only give the surname: eg: CLOONEY not GEORGE CLOONEY. • You can use…

Dear Daniel, There aren’t many men like you. Back in April 2019, we’d been friends for years, even dated briefly. But we’d only be in touch every now and then. Until my world came crashing down… I was living with my two children and my partner, blissfully happy. Had even put an offer in on a new house. Stepping out of the shower one day, I applied moisturiser to my chest. And then, I froze. I could feel a pea-sized lump in my left breast. Days later, I had a scan, then a biopsy. Finally, I got a phone call from Guy’s Hospital, asking me to come in. ‘You’ve got stage-three breast cancer,’ a doctor then confirmed. I ran out the room, fell to the floor. Horrified. ‘What about my…