Hobbies, Games & Quizzes

Search out hundreds of words on a wide range of topics with Wordsearch

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Do you find you have plenty of time on your hands these days?Instead of wracking your brain for something to do, challenge your mind and have hours of fun with this delightful puzzle book. With everything from tricky crosswords, word searches, anagram puzzles and sudokus to simpler brain-teasers such as spot the differences, mazes and trivia questions, this LARGE PRINT edition means you won't even need your glasses... wherever you put them.

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The English Defence (1 d4 e6 2 c4 b6) is a dynamic, counter-attacking line, initially investigated by English grandmasters. Black aims to set White difficult problems to solve at the very earliest stage of the game. Black’s play is provocative – aiming to lure White into establishing a big pawn centre. This is a risky strategy as White falls behind in development and Black switfly becomes very active. However, if White’s response is more circumspect then Black can often manoeuvre into favourable structures reminiscent of positions arising from the Nimzo-Indian Defence, the Queen’s Indian Defence or even the Dutch. José González provides an excellent analysis of this complex opening and carves out a powerful repertoire for Black covering all lines after 1 d4. It is possible for White to avoid the "English battle" by playing either 2 Nf3 or even 2 e4 (a rare move for 1 d4 players but seen occasionally). Gonzalez champions an aggressive variant of the Dutch against 2 Nf3 and outlines a simple but effective French Defence repertoire to counter 2 e4. * A complete repertoire for Black to counter 1 d4. * The question and answer approach provides an excellent study method.

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An innovative word game for 3 to 6 players where creativity trumps vocabulary.Splashes of dark ink on a blank page, the characters illegible--or are they? The line that seemed like a scribble, could it perhaps be the letter N, or is it a Z on its side? And that circle, is it an O or a Q, or maybe part of a B? You can''t know for sure, but you might have an inklingInkling is a word game for 3 to 6 players with an innovative twist. Each turn you will play your letter cards in front of you, hoping the players next to you can glean the words you''re trying to convey--but without the perfect letters you will need to get creative! How you go about that is up to you: rotate your cards, play them upside down or on their side, or have them overlap one another--whatever it takes to get your meaning across.

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Do you want a simple and practical method to counter Black's kingside fianchetto defences after 1 d4? A line that takes the initiative from a very early stage and creates difficult practical problems? If so, then The Harry Attack (1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 h4!) is for you. At first this looks like some sort of joke or, at the very least, a weird outlandish line. Aren't we all taught to focus on development and control of the centre in the early stages? What's 3 h4 got to do with that? Perhaps surprisingly, this is a very difficult line for Black to counter effectively. This applies not just in practical play but also theoretically, where it is far from straightforward for Black even to find a route to equality. And when Black gets it wrong they are often on the receiving end of a very unpleasant miniature. You may be thinking that surely the best chess engines can show how to counter this line? No! One of the unexpected features of leading engine play is their enthusiasm for shoving the h-pawn up the board and they fully concur that 3 h4! is a very decent move for White. Many leading players have taken the hint and 3 h4 is frequently seen at elite level. Richard Palliser and Simon Williams (the GingerGM) provide a thorough guide to this fascinating line. They show how to adapt when Black chooses a King's Indian set-up, a Grunfeld set-up, a Benoni set-up or even plays in Benko style. The Harry Attack is easy to learn and is perfect for unsettling players steeped in the theory of their favourite Indian defences.

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Challenge yourself at home with word puzzles The Sun presents this cracking collection of 200 fun, quick crosswords so you can while away your leisure time at home. Wherever you are, Britain’s bestselling daily ensures you will always have a quick and enjoyable brain challenge to hand. These 200 quick crosswords are all new and based on the quick clues from the pages of The Sun. Tackle them wherever you find yourself. Fun, fast and furious you will while away the time and give your grey matter an enjoyable workout at the same time.

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER * The Worldwide Puzzle Phenomenon Murdle is a must-read. -CBS EssentialsAn absolute phenomenon. -Richard Osman, bestselling author of The Thursday Murder ClubClever, satisfying and utterly addictive. -Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The AppealBrilliant fun! -Celeste Connally, author of Act Like a Lady, Think Like a LordI'm completely obsessed. -Olivia Blacke, author of Vinyl Resting Place G. T. Karber, the creator of the popular online daily mystery game Murdle, presents the third collection of 100 original murder mystery logic puzzles-a perfect gift for mystery fanatics and puzzlers to hone their minds and solve a series of crimes.Who committed the shocking crime?What wild weapon did they wield?Where was the killing committed?Deductive Logico is ready to kick back and relax on his long-awaited v

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'A book every quiz lover should have in their collection.' - Shaun WilliamsonWhether you're a Pointless armchair aficionado, nostalgic for the days of Going for Gold, or a bona fide Mastermind...THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!!Fingers on Buzzers! is an interactive, kaleidoscopic, bonanza celebration and history of the British quiz from Lucy Porter and Jenny Ryan, the presenters of the podcast Fingers on Buzzers.For quiz fans everywhere, Fingers on Buzzers! is a nostalgic celebration of our great British obsession - from the early days of TV quiz shows to our more recent love of the pub quiz - incorporating a huge host of pop quizzes for the whole family to enjoy.

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Jan Timman is one of the greatest chess players never to win the world title. For many years the Best of the West belonged to the chess elite, collecting quite a few super tournament victories. Three times Timman was a Candidate for the World Championship and his peak in the world rankings was second place, in 1982. For this definitive collection, Timman has revisited his career and subjected his finest efforts to fresh analysis supported by modern technology. The result is startling and fascinating. From the games that he chose for his Timmans Selected Games (1994, also published as Chess the Adventurous Way), only 10(!) made the cut. Some games that he had been proud of turned out to be flawed, others that he remembered as messy were actually well played. Timmans Triumphs includes wins against great players such as Karpov, Kasparov, Kortchnoi, Smyslov, Tal, Spassky, Bronstein, Larsen and Topalov. The annotations are in the authors trademark lucid style, a happy mix of colourful background information and sharp, crystal-clear explanations. Once again Jan Timman shows that he is not only one of the best players the game has seen, but also as one of the best chess analysts and writers.

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Whatever our job title, our work will always benefit from new ideas and fresh ways of thinking. We’re used to regarding inspiration as something that arrives more or less at random; it is in fact a skill that we can learn to develop in ourselves and call on whenever we need it. Inspiration is a toolkit for generating new ideas: 52 exercises designed to foster an inventive frame of mind. With this to hand, we have no more need to wait for inspiration to strike; we can kindle it and deploy it as we require it. Each exercise prompts us to work on a particular creative muscle and helps us to establish the psychological conditions for original work. Drawing insights from the worlds of art, music, psychotherapy and innovation, this is an invaluable resource for creatives and professionals alike, helping our minds to become more reliable lightning rods for our numerous flashes of inspiration. Examples Sensory Deprivation Removing distractions and external stimuli can allow our mind to wander more freely. That’s why ideas tend to come to us in the shower, or just before we fall asleep. Sensory deprivation tanks are an extreme (and expensive) way of quieting the outside world. Create your own makeshift sensory deprivation tank. Find a spare office or free room and close the door. Turn out the lights, close the shutters or blinds, and switch off any electrical appliances. If it’s still noisy, use ear plugs or play white noise through some headphones. Stay in there for at least 10 minutes, or as long as you like. Use the time and space to think about your project – or try to think about nothing at all, and allow your mind to drift. Paint Like a Child Pablo Picasso spent his career developing his painting in an increasingly abstract direction. Near the end of his life, he remarked that although he was a technically accomplished painter at fifteen, ‘it look me a lifetime to paint like a child.’ Try to recall the person you were at five years old. How might you look at your work differently? What might strike you as humdrum, and what as exciting? What rules might you be prepared to break to honour the fiveyear-old you? company biography

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We often overestimate how fragile we are. In our nightmares, we assume that life would become impossible for us far earlier than it actually would. In reality, we could manage perfectly well with a lot less than we currently have. Not that we should want this to happen, of course: it’s simply that we could bear it. We forget our resilience in the face of risk and become unnecessarily timid. Our lives become dominated by a fear of losing things that we could in fact do without. This set of cards is designed to gently remind us that we are far stronger than we imagine. Examples 3 a.m. alone in bed is perhaps not the optimal moment at which to derive a true picture of reality. Wait – always – for the perspective of dawn. Things don’t need to be perfect; we are creatures eminently suited to ‘good enough’. It sounds heartless to say: ‘you’ll get over it’. But you will. The brain is designed to exaggerate troubles. We suffer more in our thoughts than in reality.

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A meal with friends is only ever as good as the questions we ask one another. Too often, we fall back on polite but not so inspired staples: ‘Have you got anything special planned for the weekend?’ ‘What do you do?’, and so on. But there are better kinds of questions - questions that work like magic keys that open up our hearts, draw out our memories and prompt our latent reserves of generosity, fun and interest. This pack collects 80 of these sorts of questions to ensure a meal together can be at once meaningful, entertaining and touching. Laid out on placecards, the questions gently and charmingly pull our fellow diners towards the sort of topics that matter most to our deeper selves - and help us get the most out of one another... Questions Include: What do other people not understand about you? What do you worry about in the middle of the night? Which three adjectives capture important things about you? When you feel upset, how - ideally - would you like to be comforted?

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Our society typically devotes huge attention to the start of a marriage – and particularly to the actual wedding ceremony. But the real challenge lies beyond the wedding, with the long years ahead – and here we are too often left on our own. This box is The School of Life’s guide to the rest of a life together, containing twenty beautiful cards which lay out the central ideas on how to make a relationship work over the decades beyond the wedding day. It is filled with artful suggestions on coping with what even the most loving couple will face as they build a life together. This set of cards is both a celebration of marriage and a rich source of insights into the skills it demands. Quotes From The Cards: In Praise of Compromise: ‘Couples who compromise are not the enemies of love: they may be at the vanguard of understanding what lasting relationships truly demand and what they are for. They deserve admiration, not condemnation.’ On Sex and Marriage: ‘The waning of sex is – far more than we collectively admit – a sign that a marriage is stabilising, not failing. If we more publicly admitted this, we’d be less panicked, less ashamed and a little less resentful when the sex got less intense and less frequent.

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A game as complex as chess can be approached in an infinite number of ways. Nowadays, in the era of computer chess, GMs generally tend to focus their preparation on looking for playable ideas rather than outright refutations. In his second volume of work, Alex Ipatov once again shows his expertise and creative approach in this regard. The reader is presented with an abundance of interesting ideas for White which can pose real practical problems for Black.

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Two great books from the Everyman Chess Library, Play The Accelerated Dragon by Peter Lalic and Play the Benko Gambit by Nicolai Pedersen , brought together in one volume. The Accelerated Dragon remains one of Black's most popular choices in the Sicilian, and the attractions are obvious. Black's opening strategy is easy to understand, and his pieces are quickly developed on active squares. Furthermore, White players hoping to attack in the same way as against the traditional Dragon will be shocked by the Accelerated Dragon's greater flexibility and possibilities for a swift counterattack. In this book, Peter Lalić presents a repertoire for Black based on this line. He outlines a reliable system of development with the aim of choosing clear, consistent plans. Firstly, he demonstrates why the Accelerated Dragon exponent need not fear the Yugoslav Attack. Secondly, if White chooses instead the positional Maroczy Bind approach he emphasizes that positional understanding is far more important than memorization of move sequences. The Benko Gambit is undoubtedly one of Black's most dynamic openings. In return for his pawn investment Black gains long-term pressure, which is often so powerful it continues right through into the endgame. White must decide whether to grab the pawn and try to hold on, or to choose a more aggressive approach. Either way, Black generally succeeds in his aim of unbalancing the position from a very early stage. In this book, Nicolai V. Pedersen presents a concise and practical repertoire for Black within the Benko Gambit. Using illustrative games, he examines the critical main lines of the gambit, the tricky sidelines and also explains how to meet the various options White has of avoiding the Benko.

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New title in exciting series of ethical, sustainable and earth-friendly jigsaw puzzles from Flame Tree Studio, featuring powerful and popular works of art, using ethically sourced materials, sturdy pieces and a recyclable paper bag.Part of a new, exciting series of ethical, sustainable and earth-friendly jigsaw puzzles. These high-quality, 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles from Flame Tree are made with FSC®-certified and recycled materials, have sturdy pieces and a recyclable bag, and feature powerful and popular works of art. The 1000 pieces will satisfy your need for a challenge, with the wonderful Rathlin Hares by Angela Harding. Intended for adults and children over 13 years. Not suitable for children under 3 years due to small parts. Finished Jigsaw size 735 x 510mm/29 x 20 ins.Angela Harding is a fine art painter and illustrator based in Rutland, UK. She specialises in lino prints and her work is inspired by British birds and countryside.

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Psycho Puzzles re-creates the suspense and drama of Hitchcock's greatest films in more than 80 puzzles. Each conundrum uses characters and situations from his movies to set the scene and you will be asked to calculate the answers to a number of gruesome questions, such as: How quickly can a group of seagulls consume their human meal? What are the chances of being hit by a bullet fired from a crop-duster? How many policemen are needed to safely catch you after being pushed through an open window? Highly illustrated throughout with period artworks, and with trivia questions about Hitchcock and his life and works as well, this is the perfect book for any movie-loving puzzle fan.

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From ancient riddles to modern Sudoku, people have been fascinated by puzzles. Whether they are seen as a glorious waste of time, a harmless way to spend a train journey or a valuable way of exercising the mind, the lure of puzzles has been irresistible. By using over a hundred examples of the most mindbending, the most challenging, the most satisfying, or simply the most humorous of puzzles throughout the ages, William Hartston traces the development of brainteasers of all varieties and the increasing ingenuity of puzzle setters from ancient civilisations to modern puzzle crazes.

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The hero has no advantage whatsoever but somehow manages to keep setting the opponent problems. Their opponent goes slightly astray and suddenly hero has a tiny advantage. It’s not much but now that they have a little something to work with, they are in their element. They play accurately and remorselessly and make life incredibly difficult for their opponent. Suddenly, and almost imperceptibly, their advantage increases. Further tiny inaccuracies follow, hero turns the screw and bags the full point. Their opponent is left shaking their head, wondering where on earth they went wrong. This is the squeeze and the great champions have been capable of squeezing opponents to death. José Capablanca, Tigran Petrosian, Anatoly Karpov and, in the current era, Magnus Carlsen are legendary in this respect. How do they do it? How do they set problems in apparently sterile positions? How can they continuously manage to defeat world class opposition from positions that others would simply give up as drawn? In this book, Cyrus Lakdawala explains the mechanisms commonly used in squeeze plays. Using examples from the world’s greatest strategic masters he unpicks the secrets of the squeeze.

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Dive into this fun and entertaining quiz book from the UK’s biggest Black British pub quiz! Get your thinking caps on because it’s time to test your knowledge on all things Black and British, with rounds on everything from music, sport, history and geography to Black Twitter, anime, your favourite culinary delights and much more. Whether you’re a history buff, a self-proclaimed movie critic, food connoisseur, a perfect all-rounder or a novice, you’ll find your chance to show off your knowledge! So, assemble every group chat and the cousins from your mum’s side of the family, as we have something for everyone inside The Black British Quiz Book.

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The interviews in this book span over twenty years, over two decades. For years I went with my recording device to tournaments like Wijk aan Zee, Frankfurt Chess Classic, Hoogeveen... often to interview the interesting player of the moment in some hotel bar or quiet interview room. 31 out of the 35 interviews came about this way. That is… until March 2020, when out of nowhere, covid broke out. Suddenly chess tournaments were no longer held and a live interview with chess players was no longer possible.

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The Ripper Case Files provides hours of in-depth sleuthing for the macabre-minded. There are ten cases to be cracked, each of which requires you to answer a question at three points – the beginning, the middle and the end. Welcome to the murky underbelly of Victorian London, where Jack the Ripper still roams free – he must be caught before the public discovers that his gruesome murder spree continues. You must use your powers of deduction to outwit the Victorian detectives and solve the monstrous cases presented, culminating in uncovering the Ripper himself! This grisly collection of crimes isn't for the faint of heart, packed with shocking details and insider police knowledge; there will be twists and turns to keep even the keenest-eyed amateur PIs on their toes.

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Marsha Greenberg returns with even more stunningly original doll-size fashions, flawlessly crafted from vintage handkerchiefs and paired witty lifestyle advice, in this newly re-designed and revised edition of Hankie Couture.Featuring a gallery of 125 unique outfits and accessories, with 60 new fashions and fresh Hankie Couture girl "philosophy," Hankie Couture showcases an infinite variety of doll-sized styles for every occasion, from pyjamas to wedding gowns. The book also includes a how-to-guide with patterns and easy-to-follow sewing instruction to help you craft your very own unique outfits. Whether you're a crafter or doll enthusiast, Hankie Couture is the perfect book to unleash your imagination in transforming treasured heirlooms or colourful flea-market finds into one-of-a-kind fashion ensembles.

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The Modern Benoni is just about the most aggressive method that Black can choose to counter White's 1 d4. In the main line variations Black allows White to have a preponderance of central pawns which, traditionally, grants the first player the advantage. However, in return, Black gains the opportunity for tremendously dynamic counterplay. This places White and under immediate pressure as any inaccurate moves can prove to be disastrous. ----- In this book, FIDE Master John Doknjas examines all aspects of this highly complex opening and provides the reader with well-researched, fresh, and innovative analysis. Each annotated game has valuable lessons on how to play the opening and contains instructive commentary on typical middlegame plans. With thorough variations and explanations on pawn structures and piece placement, this book provides insight for both strong masters and less experienced players alike. The format is ideal for the chessplayer keen to improve their game. While reading you are continually challenged to answer probing questions - a method that greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of chess knowledge. ----- * A complete repertoire for Black in the Modern Benoni. --- * A question and answer approach provides an excellent study method.

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Challenge yourself with word and number puzzles 100 puzzles from The Times adapting the cryptic puzzle for those with a hectic lifestyle and schedule. Ideal for those starting out with cryptic crosswords, and those who’d like to tackle the main puzzle but feel daunted, or who can perhaps only solve a handful of clues. Appearing Monday to Friday in the puzzle pages of Times2, this crossword has a reduced 13x13 grid size and reduced difficulty too, the intention being to encourage people to take their first steps in tackling cryptic crosswords. And also to cater for those of us who have limited time to devote to our favourite pastime and need a ready-made set of puzzles that is solvable in a short space of time.

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A Billion Suns is a wargame of interstellar combat that puts you in command of fleets of powerful starships, from squadrons of agile, but fragile, fighters, to hulking and powerful capital ships. When combined with some spaceship miniatures, a tape measure, a deck of playing cards and some dice, this rulebook provides everything you need to play exciting and tense tabletop games of interstellar exploration and combat. Using simple dice pool mechanics, you must carefully manage your resources and seize the opportunities that come your way in order to lead your fleet to victory and assert your dominance over the stars.

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Fast electric model power boats have long outclassed other boat types in terms of speed, and racing them is becoming an ever-more popular pastime. Success in this exciting hobby relies not just on the skill of the boat’s handler, but on the design and build of the boat as well. Illustrated with numerous photographs and diagrams showing technical details, this book looks at all aspects of building a model electric power boat, including How to choose a model and spot design flaws, especially in moulded hulls, and how to repair many of those faults, Brushed and brushless motors, and their speed controllers, drive systems and propellers, Guidance on rechargeable cells and the correct chargers, and safety tips for lithium polymer cells, Tips on construction and how to set up a boat for racing, Detailed instructions for building a wooden three-point outrigger hydroplane and Radio systems, wiring and connectors. While the emphasis of this book is on performance for competition use, beginners and recreational boaters are well catered for as many of the chapters start from first principles, rather than assuming a high level of initial competence. It covers all aspects of fast electric boating, from hull design right through to racing at world championships and setting speed records. Therefore, whether you are looking to compete or operate fast electric power boats as a hobby, it is a must-have addition to your library.

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Beautiful wrapping paper and gift tags inspired by nature, from Flow, the international brand that celebrates creativity, mindfulness, and the pleasures of paper. ·Includes twelve 19” x 26” sheets of wrapping paper printed with different illustrations on two sides ·Plus 12 punch-out full-color gift tags Each colorful illustrated sheet of wrapping paper by Valesca van Waveren is like a gift itself. Her patterns, inspired by the quotation “All good things are wild and free,” from the Henry David Thoreau quotation, remind us of the simple joys of nature: pressed flowers, shiny beetles, sweet figs, noble tigers, and traveling snails. Tear out the decorated sheets along the perforations and unfold them to their full size before wrapping a parcel and affixing a matching gift tag. The full All Good Things Are Wild and Free stationery line includes: 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, sticker book, stationery set, daily tracker, wrapping paper and gift tags, sticky notes, sketchbook, and notebook set.

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Do you like chess and want to become a better player without putting in hundreds of hours training? 365 Endgame Lessons for Novices has a practical approach with a focus on the endgame. This book helps to eliminate hours of game study and provides bite-sized lessons and tasks that you can implement each day to improve your chess game over the course of a year. We’ve collected an array of typical positions and situations that are frequently seen on the board so that you can better anticipate common mistakes, as well as teach you how you can exploit your opponent’s mistakes. If you make 5-10 minutes of chess study a daily habit, you will improve your chess game and your “chess brain” by opening your mind to planning and moves you wouldn’t otherwise see on the chess board.

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