Table of contents for 02 April 2026 in Take a Break Weekly

Take your pick from… ★ Shopping voucher £1000* ★ Weekend getaway £1000 ★ Bunkbeds £500 ★ Apple watch £500 ★ His and hers designer sunglasses £500 ★ Garden tools £500 1 Long-running US legal drama, - - - & Order (3) 2 Opening lyrics to Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, ‘Is this the real life? Is this just - - -?’ (7) 3 - - - life, length of time for which an edible item is fit for consumption (5) 4 Small patch of ground – for growing vegetables, eg (4) 5 New and original, anagram of ON LEV (5) 6 Magazine article promoted on the front of the issue, - - - story (5) 7 Units of music (5) 8 Solidify – like a jelly, eg (3) 3 LETTERS App,…

GET IT IN ONE The clues in this crossword puzzle consist of only one word – so you may find it a bit more of a challenge! We’ve placed the answer to 1 Across to help you get started. FINISHED? The letters in the yellow squares, read from top to bottom, form a prize word. Write this word on the entry coupon, enter online, phone or text. See page 57. CLUES ACROSS 1 Fissure (5) 4 Talk (5) 10 Feast (7) 11 Expression (5) 12 Ellipse (4) 13 Abuse (8) 15 Penniless (5) 16 Foe (5) 21 Encircle (8) 23 Lazy (4) 25 Stroll (5) 26 Accomplish (7) 27 Condition (5) 28 Hoard (5) DOWN 2 Plunder (7) 3 Pal (4) 5 Immaculate (8) 6 Similar (5) 7 Loathe (5)…

LOOK FOR ★ BANK BOOK ★ CAMERA ★ COINS ★ DEEDS ★ DIARY ★ DISCS ★ GOLD ★ GUARANTEE ★ KEYS ★ LOGBOOK ★ LOVE ★ LETTERS ★ MEDAL ★ MONEY ★ PASSPORT ★ PAYROLL ★ PLANS ★ PURSE ★ RECEIPT ★ SILVER ★ SOFTWARE ★ STAMPS ★ TICKETS ★ WAGES ★ WALLET ★ WILL 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.…

My hair tends to get frizzy throughout the day. Could you recommend any products to keep it smooth? Cara Thompson, Derby A great way to prevent frizz without weighing your hair down is by using a lightweight leave-in serum before blow-drying. Aussie’s Frizz Off 24H Leave-In Serum, £12, is packed with hydrating oils to help lock in moisture. As a final step after styling, spritz John Frieda Frizz Ease Moisture Barrier Hairspray, £3.50, to keep your hair in place all day. If the weather is your main struggle, opt for Mark Hill Holiday Hair Frizz Free Anti-Humidity Cream, £4.99, which helps repel water and minimise frizz thanks to its clever humidity-blocking technology. CELEB SECRET Jodie Comer The 28 Years Later actress swears by MAC’s Clear Brow Gel, £24, to keep her arches…

Wearing his VR headset, my husband Adam teed off another shot on his mini golf game. Then, rubbing his right shoulder, he said, ‘I think I’ve pulled a muscle.’ He’d played that game a lot, so I thought he’d overdone it. But when the pain didn’t ease, he saw the GP, who said it was a trapped nerve. Adam was given painkillers and put on a six-month waiting list for nerve testing. Meanwhile, his discomfort grew. At night he suffered shooting pains that were so bad he would wake up screaming. ‘You need to go back to the doctor,’ I urged. Over the next months he was back and forth to the GP and A&E, but he’d just come back with stronger painkillers. By now, he was struggling to lift…

Spring beef stew Serves: 6 Takes: 2hr 40min • 800g diced stewing beef• Salt and freshly ground black pepper• 2tbsp olive oil• 2 onions, diced• 1tsp caraway seeds• 3 garlic cloves, sliced• 2tbsp paprika• 500ml beef stock, made with 1 stock cube• 400g can chopped tomatoes• 3 potatoes, roughly cut into small pieces• 2 red peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped• 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped• Freshly chopped flat leaf parsley, plus sprigs, to garnish 1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C. Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper. 2 Heat the olive oil in a large heavy lidded casserole dish over a low-medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7min until softened. 3 Turn the heat up slightly and…

Turn over for a chance to WIN a break for two in Tenerife Tulip Festival Looking for a spring day out with real wow factor? Tulleys’ tulip festivals are back – and they’re as colourful as ever. Each location – in Sussex, Hertfordshire and Warwickshire – features sweeping fields of tulips, lovely walking routes and seasonal stalls. Children will enjoy the space to roam, while grown-ups can soak up the scenery or take a break with a coffee and something tasty from one of the food stands. Look out for the wooden windmills, spring decorations and pretty picnic spots – and don’t forget your camera! Prices start at £14.95 and under-twos go free. Book at tulipfarm.co.uk, tulipfields.co.uk, tulipgarden.co.uk Cost: from £14.95pp Great Easter Show Step back in time with this…

As the waitress placed the bill on the table, my date reached out and said, ‘I’ll get it.’ I’d met Kenny through mutual friends. He was the life and soul of the party, and a bit of a bad boy. I felt flattered he’d taken an interest in me. We were both in our early 20s and living at home. But after nine months together, I discovered I was pregnant. I told Kenny, ‘I’m a bit worried. Maybe this is too soon.’ ‘It’s great news,’ he said. ‘We’re going to have a baby! I can’t wait to be a dad.’ We found a house together, and when our baby girl was born, we settled into family life. Years passed, and we welcomed a baby boy. But I began to notice…

BEYOND PARADISE Friday 27 March, BBC One Friday nights feel complete again as Kris Marshall returns as DI Humphrey Goodman in the sun-dappled world of Shipton Abbott. Series four serves up a fresh batch of puzzling cases, from a crime novelist whose death mirrors their own plot to whispers of mermaids and missing pirate maps. It’s cosy crime at its best – intriguing without being gruesome, and full of heart. Off duty, Humphrey and Martha are navigating married life, while the rest of the team face dramas of their own. Gorgeous coastal views and gentle humour included. BABIES Monday 30 March, BBC One Tender, truthful and powerful, this new six-part drama explores a subject many families will recognise but rarely see portrayed on screen. Paapa Essiedu and Siobhán Cullen play…

WE PAY MORE! Real Deals For Real Stories 020 3879 2794 07811 431800 takeabreak.co.uk mystory@bauermedia.co.uk Take a Break, The Lantern, Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL Your life. Our guarantee Tell your true story to Take a Break direct and we promise you a square deal £20 paid for each item used. Have you got a picture for these pages? Send us your photos and stories, with all names, ages, your address and phone number. Please make photos exclusive to us.* By submitting an item to this page you are agreeing to the magazine publishing your full name, age, town and photo. *See terms and conditions on page 57…

Starring ROLLS After starting to make a toy I decided I didn’t like it. Rather than waste the yarn, I decided to unravel it. But worried it might get tangled up, I had an idea. I got some toilet roll tubes and cut a small slit in one end. Then I slotted the end of the yarn into the slit, before wrapping the rest around the roll. It kept the yarn tidy and tangle-free until I was ready to use it again. Sara Aynsley, Wadhurst, E Sussex SNIP-IT! Instead of buying expensive little packs of bacon lardons, I buy a large pack of cooking bacon and cut it into cubes using scissors. I put the cubes into cake cases and freeze them. Once frozen, each block can be transferred into…

NO ‘It was a lot of responsibility’ Joanna Kingsley, 41, Nottingham Growing up, I thought I was fine being an only child (despite having to develop the mind gymnastics needed to play Monopoly with myself…!) but, as I’ve aged, I’ve reflected on what it really meant for me. I was close to my parents which was great, but being the sole focus was a lot of responsibility. Behaviour, school grades, relationships, career success – it all began and ended with me. And, socially, being a shy young girl with my nose in a book, or playing teacher in front of a neatly arranged semi-circle of teddy bears, didn’t really do me any favours! I grew into myself but, at 41, people still give me a shifty side eye when I…

Steam rose off the huge pile of cheesy tuna pasta in front of me and my stomach churned. But while I had a hangover so bad that my insides felt like a washing machine on a spin cycle, I knew from experience that a plate of stodge was the only way to settle it. After a chaotic early childhood, I’d been taken into care and then adopted at the age of 10 by my lovely mum Marie. The social worker had told her, ‘She’s happy now, but her trauma may well come out when she gets into her teens.’ And she had been right. While I loved Mum to bits, I began drinking to numb what I felt inside. At first it was alcopops with my mates in the park,…

Minimise movement The type of mattress plays a crucial role in minimising sleep disturbances. Memory foam mattresses are often the best choice for couples as their high-density foam construction absorbs movement, reducing motion transfer and preventing one partner from being disturbed by the other’s movements. In contrast, pocket-sprung mattresses can transfer motion more easily due to their individual springs, which may cause disturbances when one partner moves. Help with snoring Sleeping in an elevated position promotes better airflow and can prevent the tongue and soft tissues in the throat from obstructing the air passage to prevent snoring. If snoring is loud and persistent, it’s important to seek medical advice. Earbuds can help those who are disturbed to sleep better. If your snoring is leading to ‘apnoeas’, or times where you…

• Return flights • Seven nights’ half-board accommodation • £200 spending money Fancy swapping everyday life for a dose of sunshine? We’ve teamed up with fresh-air experts Neutradol to offer you the chance to win a seven-night holiday for two to Tenerife. Crack our competition and, if you’re our lucky winner, you and a guest will enjoy a blissful week at the welcoming Allegro Isora hotel in Playa de la Arena. You’ll arrive at your beautifully designed apartment and feel the holiday vibe straight away. Slip into your swimwear and soak up the sun by the sparkling hotel pool, or take a leisurely stroll to the striking black sand Playa de la Arena Blue Flag beach. Later, wander into town to enjoy a cocktail and then return to the hotel…

ACROSS 2 Love Me Do band (7) 6 One-of-a-kind (6) 10 Nelson - - -, South African statesman (7) 14 Piercing tool (3) 15 Holistic use of essential oils (12) 16 Ranted, talked wildly (5) 17 Minor earthquake (6) 18 Violinist’s stick (3) 19 Guess (10) 20 Lamb’s mother (3) 21 Prized possession (5) 22 British designer, - - - McCartney (6) 23 Absorb – a view? (4, 2) 24 Alone, unaided (4) 25 In the past (3) 26 - - - Maria, coffee liqueur (3) 28 Contact - - -, corrective eyewear (6) 30 Luke Littler’s game (5) 32 Country, - - - Lanka (3) 33 Noggin! (4) 35 Make corrections (5) 37 - - - Graf, German tennis champion (6) 39 Glide down the piste (3) 40 Dyke-building king…

in partnership with There are many myths and misunderstandings about Pension Credit that may prevent people from claiming the money and extra support they could be entitled to. We set the record straight on some of the most common misconceptions. Myth 1: ‘I would get so little, it’s not worth claiming’ False The average Pension Credit payment is actually over £4000 per year. Plus, getting Pension Credit can unlock help with things like rent, Council Tax, Cold Weather Payments and a free TV licence for people aged 75 and over. Myth 2: ‘I have savings, so Pension Credit isn’t for me’ False You can have savings or another pension and still get Pension Credit. Unlike other income related benefits like Universal Credit, there is no capital cut-off limit, and for…

Never too old to sparkle Scrolling through Instagram, a post caught my eye. It was an ad for Miss Great Britain, promoting the regional heat in my county. I liked the post, but then the person running the account messaged me. You should apply, they suggested. ‘Pfft, I’m about 100!’ I scoffed. But then I learnt that there was an over-45 category. ‘It sounds like a great idea,’ my husband Simon said when I told him. I thought about it. I could raise lot of money for charity and, at the same time, show that older women should be celebrated. It was also a great lesson for my daughter Gen, 12, and my son Sterling, 10. I applied and to my delight, I was accepted. Over the next six months, I…

Write your answers following the arrows. Some of the boxes have clue numbers which refer to the clues below the puzzle. CLUES 1 Cynic, doubter (7) 2 Talent, natural ability (8) 3 Famous liner which sank in 1912 (7) 4 (Of a species) At risk of becoming extinct (10) 5 Word of approval (3) 6 Satellite’s path (5) 7 - - - O’Brien, Sarah Platt in Coronation Street (4) 8 Person who’s skilled in the art of public speaking (6) 9 Longing (3) 10 Small graceful deer (3) 11 Giving a suppressed laugh in a disrespectful way (10) 12 Structure a bird makes for laying eggs (4) 13 Oil-drilling platform (3) 14 Slope, anagram of TREADING (8) 15 Public school attended by Boris Johnson (4) 16 ‘-- - is bliss’,…

We’re used to the idea of regular dental check-ups (if you can get an appointment, that is!) or smear tests, and even having cars and boilers serviced annually to nip potential problems in the bud. So why don’t we tend to view our overall health in the same way? The NHS offers anyone aged 40-74 (who doesn’t have existing health conditions that are regularly checked, such as heart disease or diabetes) a 20-minute health check every five years. This is designed to assess your risk of stroke, kidney disease, dementia and other conditions, as well as offering simple tests and lifestyle advice. You’ll typically be invited by text or letter, but contact your GP to arrange one if you’ve not had one in the past five years. For many people…

Looking my mum Sarah up and down, I frowned. ‘You’ve lost weight,’ I said. We worked out she’d lost five stone in just 10 months. But it was no cause for celebration because Mum wasn’t on a diet. ‘The smell of bacon makes me feel sick,’ she said. And that wasn’t the only food she’d previously liked that was now off the menu. Weeks later, after getting breathless on the stairs, Mum let me know she’d seen her GP who’d sent her for some tests. But later, her fiancé called me to say the doctor had rung for an ambulance because the tests showed Mum’s blood pressure had gone through the roof. At the hospital, further tests revealed her kidney function was only 3% so she was in renal failure.…

As I held the pregnancy test, my eyes darted between that and the instructions to check what I was seeing was correct. Positive. But my excitement soon turned to panic. ‘I need to speak to a doctor,’ I said out loud. I’d always dreamt of having a big family and already had four wonderful children. I felt ready to become a mum again and had wanted to have one more. But after suffering three miscarriages, I feared it would never happen. Now though, at 46, I was pregnant again – and would do anything to make sure it was a success. I had an early scan at nine weeks, which showed that everything was fine. My partner and I were delighted, but I was still scared I would lose my…

Tearing into the glittery wrapping paper, my heart pounded with excitement. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I caught a glimpse of pink and white and my dream present was revealed. ‘Thank you so much!’ I cried, hugging Mum and Dad. All year I’d been wishing for a sewing machine for Christmas and now, at 12, I finally had my own. Up until now, I’d sewn everything by hand, whether it was my doll’s little dress or a small bag. The only times I’d tried using a sewing machine were when I was visiting Nan and she kindly let me have a go on hers. Now, I could really start making things in earnest! ‘Let’s set it up tomorrow when we have more time,’ Mum suggested. Next morning I could…

Fancy stocking up on a free weekly shop? Enter our brilliant competition and you could win £200 in supermarket vouchers to spend in a range of supermarkets*. You can fill your fridge and pantry with all your foodie faves, on us! Just think of the tantalising treats that could be in store for you – big juicy steaks, delicious ready meals, Belgian chocs, your choice of wines and beer. And of course you could stock up on a host of essentials, from washing powder to coffee. Sound like a tasty prize? Then grab that pen and get puzzling! *Winners will receive a Love2shop e-gift card via email exchangeable for a selection of retailers’ e-gift cards 3 LETTERS Bag, Eat 4 LETTERS Area, Bake, Bean, Cold, Help, List, Menu, Peas, Pint,…