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Long COVID puzzle pieces are falling into place – the picture is unsettling

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ziyad-al-aly-513663">Ziyad Al-Aly</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/washington-university-in-st-louis-732">Washington University in St. Louis</a> Since 2020, the condition known as long COVID-19 has become a <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/civil-rights-covid19/guidance-long-covid-disability/index.html">widespread disability</a> affecting the health and quality of life of millions of people across the globe and costing economies billions of dollars in <a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-impacts-of-long-covid-across-oecd-countries_8bd08383-en.html">reduced productivity of employees and an overall drop in the work force</a>. The intense scientific effort that long COVID sparked has resulted in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=%22long+covid%22+or+%22pasc%22+or+%22post-acute+sequelae+of+covid-19%22+or+%22postacute+sequelae+of+covid-19%22+or+%22post-acute+sequelae+of+SARS-CoV-2%22+or+%22postacute+sequelae+of+SARS-CoV-2%22+or+%22post+covid+condition%22+or+%22post+covid+conditions%22+or+%E2%80%9Cchronic+covid-19%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Cpost+covid-19+condition%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Cpost+covid-19+conditions%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Cpost-covid+condition%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Cpost-covid+conditions%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Clong+covid-19%E2%80%9D+or+%28%22long-term%22+and+%22COVID-19%22%29+or+%28%22longterm%22+and+%22COVID-19%22%29+or+%28%22long-term%22+and+%22SARS-CoV-2%22%29+or+%28%22longterm%22+and+%22SARS-CoV-2%22%29+or+%E2%80%9Cpostcovid+condition%E2%80%9D+or+%E2%80%9Cpostcovid+conditions%E2%80%9D+&sort=date">more than 24,000 scientific publications</a>, making it the most researched health condition in any four years of recorded human history. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.html">Long COVID</a> is a term that describes the <a href="https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/long-covid-post-covid-conditions-pcc">constellation of long-term health effects</a> caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These range from persistent respiratory symptoms, such as shortness of breath, to debilitating fatigue or brain fog that limits people’s ability to work, and conditions such as heart failure and diabetes, which are known to last a lifetime. I am a physician scientist, and I have been deeply immersed in studying long COVID since the early days of the pandemic. I have testified before the U.S. Senate as an <a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/baf4e4e7-b423-6bef-7cb4-1b272df66eb8/Al-Aly%20Testimony.pdf">expert witness on long COVID</a>, have <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=DtuRVcUAAAAJ">published extensively on it</a> and was named as one of <a href="https://time.com/6966812/ziyad-al-aly/">Time’s 100 most influential people in health in 2024</a> for my research in this area. Over the first half of 2024, a <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/long-term-health-effects-stemming-from-covid-19-and-implications-for-the-social-security-administration#sl-three-columns-afa91458-20e0-42ab-9bd6-55e3c8262ecc">flurry of reports</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2403211">scientific papers</a> on long COVID added clarity to this complex condition. These include, in particular, insights into how COVID-19 can still wreak havoc in many organs years after the initial viral infection, as well as emerging evidence on viral persistence and immune dysfunction that last for months or years after initial infection. <h2>How long COVID affects the body</h2> A new study that my colleagues and I published in the New England Journal of Medicine on July 17, 2024, shows that the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2403211">risk of long COVID declined</a> over the course of the pandemic. In 2020, when the ancestral strain of SARS-CoV-2 was dominant and vaccines were not available, about 10.4% of adults who got COVID-19 developed long COVID. By early 2022, when the omicron family of variants predominated, that rate declined to 7.7% among unvaccinated adults and 3.5% of vaccinated adults. In other words, unvaccinated people were more than twice as likely to develop long COVID. While researchers like me do not yet have concrete numbers for the current rate in mid-2024 due to the time it takes for long COVID cases to be reflected in the data, the flow of new patients into long COVID clinics has been on par with 2022. We found that the decline was the result of two key drivers: availability of vaccines and changes in the characteristics of the virus – which made the virus less prone to cause severe acute infections and may have reduced its ability to persist in the human body long enough to cause chronic disease. Despite the decline in risk of developing long COVID, even a 3.5% risk is substantial. New and repeat COVID-19 infections translate into millions of new long COVID cases that add to an already staggering number of people suffering from this condition. Estimates for the first year of the pandemic suggests that at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-023-00896-0">least 65 million people</a> globally have had long COVID. Along with a group of other leading scientists, my team will soon publish updated estimates of the global burden of long COVID and its impact on the global economy through 2023. In addition, a major new report by the National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine details all the <a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27756/long-term-health-effects-of-covid-19-disability-and-function">health effects that constitute long COVID</a>. The report was commissioned by the Social Security Administration to understand the implications of long COVID on its disability benefits. It concludes that long COVID is a complex chronic condition that can result in more than 200 health effects across multiple body systems. These include new onset or worsening: <ul> <li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01689-3">heart disease</a></li> <li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-02001-z">neurologic problems</a> such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/mounting-research-shows-that-covid-19-leaves-its-mark-on-the-brain-including-with-significant-drops-in-iq-scores-224216">cognitive impairment</a>, strokes and <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6004-dysautonomia">dysautonomia</a>. This is a category of disorders that affect the body’s <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23273-autonomic-nervous-system">autonomic nervous system</a> – nerves that regulate most of the body’s vital mechanisms such as blood pressure, heart rate and temperature.</li> <li><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/hcp/clinical-care/treating-the-most-disruptive-symptoms-first-and-preventing-worsening-of-symptoms.html">post-exertional malaise</a>, a state of severe exhaustion that may happen after even minor activity — often leaving the patient unable to function for hours, days or weeks</li> <li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36223-7">gastrointestinal disorders</a></li> <li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1681/ASN.2021060734">kidney disease</a></li> <li>metabolic disorders such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(22)00044-4">diabetes</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(22)00355-2">hyperlipidemia</a>, or a rise in bad cholesterol</li> <li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-023-01724-6">immune dysfunction</a></li> </ul> Long COVID can affect people across the lifespan from children to older adults and across race and ethnicity and baseline health status. Importantly, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adl0867">more than 90% of people with long COVID</a> had mild COVID-19 infections. The National Academies report also concluded that long COVID can result in the inability to return to work or school; poor quality of life; diminished ability to perform activities of daily living; and decreased physical and cognitive function for months or years after the initial infection. The report points out that many health effects of long COVID, such as post-exertional malaise and chronic fatigue, cognitive impairment and autonomic dysfunction, are not currently captured in the <a href="https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm">Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments</a>, yet may significantly affect an individual’s ability to participate in work or school. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9kJ5GWb2wzw?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Many people experience long COVID symptoms for years following initial infection.</figcaption></figure> <h2>A long road ahead</h2> What’s more, health problems resulting from COVID-19 can last years after the initial infection. A large study published in early 2024 showed that even people who had a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02987-8">mild SARS-CoV-2 infection still experienced new health problems</a> related to COVID-19 in the third year after the initial infection. Such findings parallel other research showing that the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(24)00171-3">virus persists</a> in various organ systems for months or years after COVID-19 infection. And research is showing that immune responses to the infection are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.adk3295">still evident two to three years</a> after a mild infection. Together, these studies may explain why a SARS-CoV-2 infection years ago could still cause new health problems long after the initial infection. Important progress is also being made in understanding the pathways by which long COVID wreaks havoc on the body. Two preliminary studies <a href="https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.06.18.24309100">from the U.S.</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.30.596590">the Netherlands</a> show that when researchers transfer auto-antibodies – antibodies generated by a person’s immune system that are directed at their own tissues and organs – from people with long COVID into healthy mice, the animals start to experience long COVID-like symptoms such as muscle weakness and poor balance. These studies suggest that an abnormal immune response thought to be responsible for the generation of these auto-antibodies may underlie long COVID and that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.zbzipqn">removing these auto-antibodies</a> may hold promise as potential treatments. <h2>An ongoing threat</h2> Despite overwhelming evidence of the wide-ranging risks of COVID-19, a great deal of messaging suggests that it is no longer a threat to the public. Although there is no empirical evidence to back this up, this misinformation has permeated the public narrative. The data, however, tells a different story. <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home">COVID-19 infections</a> continue to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm">outnumber flu cases</a> and lead to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/resp-net/dashboard/index.html">more hospitalization</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.7395">death</a> than the flu. COVID-19 also leads to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00684-9">more serious long-term health problems</a>. Trivializing COVID-19 as an inconsequential cold or <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2024/02/covid-anniversary-flu-isolation-cdc/677588/">equating it with the flu</a> does not align with reality.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/233759/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ziyad-al-aly-513663">Ziyad Al-Aly</a>, Chief of Research and Development, VA St. Louis Health Care System. Clinical Epidemiologist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/washington-university-in-st-louis-732">Washington University in St. Louis</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/long-covid-puzzle-pieces-are-falling-into-place-the-picture-is-unsettling-233759">original article</a>. </div>

Body

"Like the cash cow had come out": Commuters puzzled by money bundles on motorway

Motorists in Perth have been left puzzled after bundles of cash were spotted flying across a motorway. On Monday evening, several members of the public called Western Australia police after up to $40,000 in cold hard cash was seen flying across the Mitchell Fwy in Connolly, in the city’s northern suburbs. According to Commissioner Col Blanch, honest civilians bundled up some of the mysterious money and “came forward with large wads of cash”. “We believe that up to $40,000 has been recovered,” he said. Police believe that the money came from an alleged drug deal gone wrong, but the incident is still under investigation. "It looks like it was a total fiasco by the person involved and probably not one of our smartest (alleged) offenders," Mr Blanch said. "It's like the cash cow had come out, and there was cash flying everywhere." "There's no more money on the freeway … let's not go there." After police attended the scene, they arrested a man close by who had another $8,000 in his possession, along with 51g of cocaine. Despite some people stopping to retrieve the money to hand over to police, the free money prompted some motorists to stop their cars to retrieve a share for themselves. Talk on social media suggested one commuter even pocketed about $10,000. Image credits: WA Police

Travel Trouble

More than a game: Crosswords and puzzles may reduce dementia risk

Playing games, doing crosswords, writing letters or learning something new are all associated with reduced dementia risk in older adults, according to a large, long-term study. A team of Melbourne and US-based researchers study tracked 10,318 older Australians over a period of ten years (2010 to 2020), collecting detailed information on the types of leisure activities they engaged in, along with regular health checks and cognitive assessments. The study is <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2807256" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in JAMA Network Open. Paper co-author Dr Joanne Ryan from Monash University says “the findings show that engaging in mentally stimulating activities can help preserve cognitive function and may help delay the onset of dementia.” “We know the importance of physical activity. We need to think about helping to keep our mind stimulated as well.” <iframe title="Why do Women Live Longer than Men? And What About Gender Diverse People?" src="https://omny.fm/shows/huh-science-explained/why-do-women-live-longer-than-men-and-what-about-g/embed?in_playlist=podcast&style=Cover" width="100%" height="180" frameborder="0"></iframe> Adult literacy activities such as writing, using a computer or taking education classes were associated with an 11% lower risk of dementia, the study found. Active mental health activities such as playing games or doing puzzles were associated with a 9% lower risk. Creative activities like craft or woodwork and passive mental activities (reading books, watching television or listening to the radio) also reduced risks but to a lesser extent. Meanwhile, social activities were not associated with dementia risk. Ryan says this was a “little bit unexpected”. But she says it’s possible one of the reasons is those who volunteered to participate in the study were broadly already socially engaged. The median age of those participating in the study was 73.8 years. Around 2% of the cohort participating in the study developed dementia, Ryan says. Dementia risk varies depending on age and health status of individuals, she says. For instance, “we know that the risk of dementia actually increases exponentially as you get then over 80 years and over 90 years,” she says. Image credits: Getty Images <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/body-and-mind/more-than-a-game-crosswords-and-puzzles-may-reduce-dementia-risk/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/petra-stock">Petra Stock</a>. </div>

Mind

Puzzles April 2023 Answers

The Free OverSixty Newspaper is regularly with Crosswords, Sudokus, Word Finders and more for your entertainment and to keep that grey matter limbered up. So! Without further ado, here are the solutions to <a href="https://over60newspapers.azurewebsites.net/OverSixty_April_2023_Digital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all of the puzzles from the April 2023 issue</a> of the FREE OverSixty Newspaper. Enjoy! Crosswise Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/04/Crosswise_solution_april2023.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1276" /> Sudoko Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/04/Sudoku_solution_april2023.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1245" /> Before and After Answer: MOUTH [ PIECE ] MEAL Word Finder Answers: We found all of these words below in this issue's Word Finder. Did you find any more? Let us know via <a href="mailto:newspaper@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newspaper@oversixty.com.au</a> <ol> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">EIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ERG</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FOE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FOES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FOR</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FORE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FORESIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FORT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FORTH</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FREIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FRIES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FRIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FRO</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FROTH</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">GIRT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FIRTH</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">GRIEF</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">GROT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HIE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HIRE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HIRES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HIS</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HOE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HOER</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HOERS</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HOES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HORSE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HOT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">IRE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">IRES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ORE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ORES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ORGIES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ORT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">REF</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">RHO</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">RIG</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">RIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">RISE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ROE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ROES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ROT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ROTH</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">SERF</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">SIGH</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">SIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">SIR</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">SIRE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THIEF</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THIS</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THOR</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THRO</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THROE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THROES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TOE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TOES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TOR</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORI</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORIES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORS</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORSI</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TREF</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TRIES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TRIG</li> </ol> Word Pyramid Answer: For this puzzle you were given a number of clues. The first answer had two letters, the second three letters, the third four – and so on. Each answer consisted of the same letters as the previous one with the addition of one letter. SOLUTION: French article (LE) Falsehood (LIE) Reside (LIVE) Large organ (LIVER) Splinter (SLIVER) Word Circles Answer: We asked you to unscramble the letters in each circle to produce two words that are opposite in meaning to each other. SOLUTION: EQUALITY, IMPARITY

Mind

Pub trivia baffles the internet

Social media has been sent into trivia turmoil after one Reddit user uploaded a picture from a pub trivia session, declaring that their “mate left before getting the answer”. The image in question, which appeared on a quiz sheet at Sydney’s Penrith Gaels Club, features the silhouettes of five individuals - two female heads and three male figures, with check marks above the heads of the women. “From pub trivia, mate left before getting the answer,” the Reddit user explained, before posing the question, “any ideas?” According to the user, these kinds of questions are typically either a phrase or a saying, but that was the only clue any of them had when it came to figuring out the bizarre puzzle. The post has since gathered over 9,000 responses, with 2.1k commenters stopping by to share their thoughts on the situation. <iframe id="reddit-embed" style="border: none;" src="https://www.redditmedia.com/r/australia/comments/11ezzi0/from_pub_trivia_mate_left_before_getting_the/?ref_source=embed&ref=share&embed=true" width="640" height="468" scrolling="no" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups"></iframe> Some took their chance at guessing, some simply marvelled at the entertainment the struggle was providing, and one even had a laugh at the mate’s expense, noting that they’d fled at “Puzzle #1”. The potential answers kept rolling, but with many stellar contenders, no-one could reach an agreement, though amusement was high as the discussion went on. “Behind all great men is a ticked off woman?” wrote one user, to 670 upvotes. “The right men check on ladies first?” suggested one. “The only thing I've got is two's company, three's a crowd,” was another popular guess, with the user adding, “it's a bit weak, though.” “Is it a microphone test?” asked one clever commenter, “check, check. 1-2, 1-2-3.” Eventually, the original poster informed everyone that he’d taken the plunge and reached out to the pub for the answer, “but another Redditer commented saying he was there and that the Trivia Master accepted all answers because no one got it.” And to what should have been the delight of everyone involved, he got an answer - it just wasn’t nearly as funny as anything they’d come up with on the Reddit thread, with the crowd of trivia fans given a new burst of energy is expressing their annoyance with the uninspired solution. “Alright, the pub saw the post and they have found the answer that the Trivia Master was looking for,” he announced, “the answer is ‘Ladies First’. A little bit anticlimactic but at least we have the answer now.” Images: Reddit

Travel Trouble

Researchers puzzled by results of anti-inflammatory medications for osteoarthritis

Researchers in the US are calling for a re-evaluation of the way some well known painkillers are prescribed after research showed they may actually lead to a worsening of inflammation over time in osteoarthritis-affected knee joints. NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen are designed to reduce inflammation for the estimated 2.2 million Australians suffering from the sometimes debilitating effects of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition affecting joints in the body – most commonly hips, knees, ankles, spine and hands – which results from the degradation of cartilage on the ends of bones within the joints. As the cartilage wears away, the bones rub together resulting in swelling, pain and restricted movement. To combat this pain and swelling, NSAIDs are commonly prescribed, however the long-term impact of this type of medication is unclear, including its effect on the progression of the condition. “To date, no curative therapy has been approved to cure or reduce the progression of knee osteoarthritis,” said the study’s lead author, Johanna Luitjens, from the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco. “NSAIDs are frequently used to treat pain, but it is still an open discussion of how NSAID use influences outcomes for osteoarthritis patients. Surprisingly the report says: “…the impact of NSAIDs on synovitis, or the inflammation of the membrane lining the joint, has never been analysed using MRI-based structural biomarkers.” The study compared 793 participants with moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the knee who did not use NSAIDs, with 277 patients who received sustained treatment with NSAIDs for more than a year. Each patient underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans of the joint, which were then repeated after four years. The researchers were able to assess the images for indications of inflammation and arthritis progression including cartilage thickness and composition. The data showed the group using NSAIDs, had worse joint inflammation and cartilage quality than those not using NSAIDs, at the time of the initial MRI scan. And the follow-up imaging showed the conditions had worsened for the NSAID group. “In this large group of participants, we were able to show that there were no protective mechanisms from NSAIDs in reducing inflammation or slowing down progression of osteoarthritis of the knee joint,” said Luitjens. According to Luitjens, the common practice of prescribing NSAIDs for osteoarthritis should be revisited as there doesn’t appear to be any evidence they have a positive impact on joint inflammation nor do they slow or prevent synovitis or degenerative changes in the joint. There is also a possibility that NSAIDs simply mask the pain. Despite adjusting the study’s model for individual levels of patient physical activity, “patients who have synovitis and are taking pain-relieving medications may be physically more active due to pain relief, which could potentially lead to worsening of synovitis,” said Luitjens. Luitjens hopes future studies will better characterise NSAIDs and their impact on osteoarthritic inflammation. With one in three people over the age of 75 in Australia suffering from osteoarthritis and an estimated one in 10 women and one in 16 men set to develop it in the future, unlocking treatment options for this crippling condition is an imperative. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/osteoarthritis-puzzled-antiinflammatory/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Clare Kenyon. Image: Shutterstock

Body

Puzzles Issue 2 2022 Answers

Spring is in full swing, and while there are few things more satisfying than glimpses of sunshine and watching the flowers bloom, do NOT forget the satisfaction to be gained from a round of solid puzzles done well. To that end, Issue Number Two of the new OverSixty Newspaper is packed with tricky Crosswords, Sudokus, Word Finders and more for your entertainment and to keep that grey matter limbered up. So! Without further ado, here are the solutions to <a href="https://over60newspapers.azurewebsites.net/Over_Sixty_Winter_2022_Digital/30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all of the puzzles from Issue 2</a> of the FREE OverSixty Newspaper. Enjoy! Mixed-Up Crossword Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Spring2022_crossword.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1276" /> Sudoko Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Spring2022_sudoku.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1278" /> Rearrange Answer: We asked you to rearrange these letters to form a single word: glycerine fit SOLUTION: ELECTRIFYING Word Finder Answers: We found all of these words below in this issue's Word Finder. Did you find any more? Let us know via <a href="mailto:newspaper@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newspaper@oversixty.com.au</a> <ol> <li>ACNE</li> <li>ACTS</li> <li>ANEW</li> <li>BANE</li> <li>BANK</li> <li>CANE</li> <li>CITE</li> <li>ENACT</li> <li>ANACTS</li> <li>FACE</li> <li>FACET</li> <li>FACETS</li> <li>FACT</li> <li>FACTS</li> <li>FANE</li> <li>FITS</li> <li>GETS</li> <li>GUST</li> <li>KEGS</li> <li>KNEW</li> <li>NEGUS</li> <li>NETS</li> <li>PICA</li> <li>PICT</li> <li>PICTS</li> <li>PITS</li> <li>RUGS</li> <li>RUST</li> <li>RUSTIC</li> <li>STEW</li> <li>SUET</li> <li>SURGE</li> <li>URGE</li> <li>VICE</li> <li>WEAN</li> <li>WETS</li> </ol> Word Circles Answer: We asked you to unscramble the letters in each circle to produce two words with similar meanings. SOLUTION: BROCHURE, PAMPHLET Word Ladder Answer: For this puzzle we asked you to turn OIL into GAS by altering a single letter at each of four steps, guided by the clues below. SOLUTION: OIL NIL (Nothing) NIP (Pinch) NAP (Doze) GAP (Aperture) GAS

Mind

Puzzle-cracking Matthew McConaughey fans could win tickets to meet him

If you consider yourself a sleuth or a puzzlemaster you could have a chance to meet Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey when he touches down in Australia for an “off-grid” concert. Fans hoping to see the Dallas Buyers Club actor at next month’s concert will need to identify the exclusive, secret location from a series of cryptic poems that will be shared on social media. Attendees of the concert, which will be headlined by Boy & Bear, will be selected by the Aussie rock band. McConaughey shared the news with fans in a statement, encouraging hopefuls to trust their instincts. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkJqaBSh4-6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkJqaBSh4-6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Wild Turkey Australia (@wildturkeyau)</a> </div> </blockquote> “Trusting yourself, your instincts and spirit are the key to discovery and will always lead you down the right path in life, or a road up north,” the 52-year-old said. “For this reason, Wild Turkey and Boy & Bear are challenging Aussies to let go of the monotony of the last few years and let yourselves discover again. “The Discovery Series Acoustic Session fuels this spirit. However, it's more than discovery; it's for the love of the wilderness, and the enjoyment of bourbon and, most of all, music.” “So, sit back, check into the words and Trust Your Spirit – I'll be waiting patiently to congratulate those who take on the journey.” In a clip shared on social media, McConaughey described the event as a “very special evening out in nature”. Each of the clues will be posted on Wild Turkey’s official Instagram page. McConaughey has been involved with the bourbon brand since 2016, when he came on as its Creative Director and became the “chief storyteller”, according to the Wild Turkey website. “Wild Turkey has the history and qualities of a brand that depicts the dedication of someone to do something their own way – even if that way isn’t always the most popular,” McConaughey says on the site. “I want to help share their unique story.” Image: @officialmcconaughey (Instagram)

Domestic Travel

Puzzles Winter 2022 Answers

You know what they say! A puzzle a day keeps the brain fog away ... Actually they don't say that. But they should, and perhaps now they will because it's totally true. To that end, we've crammed the new OverSixty Newspaper with Crosswords, Sudokus, Word Finders and more for your entertainment and to keep that grey matter limbered up. So! Without further ado, here are the solutions to <a href="https://over60newspapers.azurewebsites.net/Over_Sixty_Winter_2022_Digital/30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all of the puzzles from the Winter 2022 issue</a> of the FREE OverSixty Newspaper. Enjoy! Mixed Up Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Winter2022_crossword.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1276" /> Sudoko Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Winter2022_sudoku.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1278" /> Rearrange Answer: We asked you to rearrange these letters to form a single word: tuna hair ratio SOLUTION: AUTHORITARIAN Word Finder Answers: We found all of these words below in this issue's Word Finder. Did you find any more? Let us know via <a href="mailto:newspaper@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newspaper@oversixty.com.au</a> <ol> <li>ACRES</li> <li>AROSE</li> <li>CARES</li> <li>CAROL</li> <li>CARTING</li> <li>CARTON</li> <li>CATION</li> <li>CATLING</li> <li>CRAGS</li> <li>CRATING</li> <li>CREATING</li> <li>CREATION </li> <li>CURES </li> <li>EATING</li> <li>FLOAT</li> <li>FLOATING </li> <li>FLOGS</li> <li>FLORA</li> <li>FLORAE</li> <li>FLORAS</li> <li>FROGS</li> <li>GATOR</li> <li>GOITRE</li> <li>GORES</li> <li>HURTING</li> <li>HURTLING</li> <li>IGNORE</li> <li>IGNORES </li> <li>INGOT </li> <li>IOTAS </li> <li>LIGATURE</li> <li>LINGO</li> <li>LINGS </li> <li>LITRE</li> <li>LITRES</li> <li>LOACH</li> <li>LONGS </li> <li>LORES</li> <li>LOSER</li> <li>NITRO</li> <li>OLIGARCH</li> <li>RACES</li> <li>RATING</li> <li>RATINGS</li> <li>RATION</li> </ol> Word Circles Answer: We asked you to unscramble the letters in each circle to produce two words that are opposite in meaning to each other. SOLUTION: ASSEMBLE, DISPERSE Word Pyramid Answer: For this puzzle you were given a number of clues. The first answer had two letters, the second three letters, the third four – and so on. Each answer consisted of the same letters as the previous one with the addition of one letter. SOLUTION: Concerning (RE) Rage (IRE) Father (SIRE) Steeple (SPIRE) Desire eagerly (ASPIRE)

Mind

Art inspires the magic Rubik's Cube

The joy puzzle lovers derive from solving a good puzzle is matched only by the frustration felt by those of us who are not good solvers. 2015 marked the 40th anniversary of the patenting of perhaps the greatest – and most difficult – puzzle of the 20th century, the Rubik’s Cube. In 1974, Ernő Rubik was living in Budapest and teaching design courses at the Academy of Applied Arts and Crafts. The cube’s beginnings are unclear, but some reports state a project given to his students inspired Rubik’s prototype which was then refined over about six weeks. He created a plastic cube with six different colours, one for each face, with each face divided into a 3×3 grid. The beauty of it was that each face could turn independently thanks to an internal mechanism of 21 parts moving on curved tracks. He had considered the cube to be primarily a work of art, until he scrambled the colours. Realising how difficult it was to restore each face to a single colour, Rubik discovered he’d created a puzzle. It took him more than a month to work out how to solve it. Initially, Rubik wasn’t even sure a solution was possible. Eventually he hit upon the idea all modern solutions are based upon – certain moves exist that will exchange pairs or triplets of edge or corner pieces without disturbing the remainder of the cube. This convinced him to go ahead with his marketing plans. In 1977 production began within Hungary. Puzzle crazes have periodically captivated the world since the early 1800s. The “Chinese Tangram” puzzle was wildly popular from about 1815 until the 1820s, with plastic sets still available. In 1880 the “15 Puzzle” was all the rage in Boston and eventually spread to Europe before fizzling out after about six months. Rubik played with the 15 puzzle as a child and says he was possibly inspired by it. More recently, Sudoku went from an obscure game to a multi-million dollar industry. But none of these puzzles captured the world’s attention like the Rubik’s Cube. Rubik’s original cube is at once elegant and fiendish. Rubik called it the “Magic Cube”. The first run of 5000 sold out in a few months. In 1978 the cube was a hit at the International Congress of Mathematicians and over the next several years won awards at European toy fairs. By 1980, the Ideal Toy company in the US was marketing the puzzle as “Rubik’s Cube”. It sold about 4.5 million by the year’s end. In 1981 numbers were approaching 80 million units worldwide. By the mid-1980s the craze had passed. The cube inspired follow-up puzzles such as the 4×4 “Rubik’s Revenge” and the 5×5 “Professor’s Cube”. These days, models of 6×6, 7×7 and even higher-order cubes can be found in puzzle stores. Computer simulations of cubes up to 100×100 are available online. Rubik’s original cube is at once elegant and fiendish. Puzzle expert Jerry Slocum says rotational cube puzzles are among the most difficult of all manipulative puzzles. On the standard 3×3 cube there are 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 possible arrangements. In 1978, while the cube was still an underground success, physicist Roger Penrose and mathematician John Conway were demonstrating solutions. Conway was said to be able to solve the cube in around four minutes without consulting notes. In 1979 David Singmaster offered a guide to the perplexed with his Notes on the Magic Cube. It led to a popular standardised notation for solving the cube which survives today. Up, Down, Front, Back, Left and Right faces are represented by U, D, F, B, L and R. A sequence to manoeuvre a corner piece into position might be written out as: R U R`. This corresponds to a clockwise twist of the right face, followed by a clockwise twist of the up face, and finally a counter-clockwise twist of the right face. The accent mark denotes a counter-clockwise twist. Although these solutions appear daunting, with a cube and instructions in hand most readers will be able to solve the puzzle in half an hour or so. Practice will soon get your times down to five to 10 minutes. Using such algorithms, competitors have reduced the solution time to under a minute. The world record is 5.55 seconds held by Mats Valk of the Netherlands. There are also blindfold and one-hand categories. Blindfold solving has the competitor examine the cube and memorise the solution before putting on the blindfold. The final time includes the examination period and the hands-on time. If you’re feeling like a challenge, the record is just over 23 seconds. Good luck. This article originally appears in <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/mathematics/art-inspires-the-magic-rubiks-cube/">Cosmos Magazine</a>. <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="font-family: halyard-text, sans-serif;max-width: 100%;background-color: #ffffff;height: 1px !important;width: 1px !important;border: 0px !important" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=6211&title=Art+inspires+the+magic+Rubik%26%238217%3Bs+cube" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /> <div id="cosmos-link-back" style="font-family: halyard-text, sans-serif;background-color: #ffffff"></div>

Art

How does AI think?

<div class="copy"> Artificial Intelligence (AI) machines can be trained to solve puzzles on their own, by learning to recognise rules and patterns in data, rather than by simply following the rules humans program into them. But often, researchers don’t know what rules the AI have made for themselves. Peter Koo, an assistant professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Long Island, US, has developed a new method – <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008925" target="_blank">described</a> today in PLOS Computational Biology – that quizzes an AI to figure out what rules it has learned on its own, and whether they’re the right ones. “If you learn general rules about the math instead of memorizing the equations, you know how to solve those equations. So rather than just memorizing those equations, we hope that these models are learning to solve it and now we can give it any equation and it will solve it,” says Koo. Koo has developed an AI called a deep neural network (DNN), that looks for patterns in strands of RNA that increase the ability of a protein to bind to them. Koo’s DNN, called Residual Bind (RB), has been trained with thousands of RNA sequences matched to protein binding scores, and is able to predict scores for new RNA sequences. But Koo was not sure what rules the machine was focusing on – whether it was focusing on a short sequence of RNA letters (a motif) that humans might expect, or whether it was looking at other characteristics. He and his team therefore developed a new method, called Global Importance Analysis, to test what rules RB generated. They presented the network with a set of synthetic RNA sequences containing different combinations of motifs that the scientists thought might influence RB’s calculations. What they discovered is that RB factored in a range of considerations, including how the RNA strand may fold over and bind to itself, how close one motif is to another, and other features. With the help of RB and Koo’s new Global Importance Analysis, the team can now test biological results in a ‘virtual’ laboratory, running millions of tests far faster than humans could do in traditional lab settings. Their <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://github.com/p-koo/residualbind" target="_blank">tools</a> are now available online for anyone to use. “If you learn general rules about the math instead of memorizing the equations, you know how to solve those equations. So rather than just memorising those equations, we hope that these models are learning to solve it and now we can give it any equation and it will solve it.” Image credits: Getty Images </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/how-does-ai-think/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Amalyah Hart. </div>

Technology

Can you find the doll among all the Christmas presents?

Attention, puzzle pros! Online motherhood community <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.channelmum.com/" target="_blank">Channel Mums</a> has designed a brainteaser that is sure to get you feeling festive for the holiday season – and seriously test your smarts, too. Here’s the challenge: Hidden somewhere in this crazy conglomeration of dinosaurs, rocket ships, teddy bears and yo-yos is a single doll. But only the most eagle-eyed observers can track it down. “At first glance, it looks like every mum’s nightmare – the scene of living room chaos following the opening of the Christmas presents,” Siobhan Freegard, spokeswoman for Channel Mum, told The Sun. “It’s very tricky, but it shouldn’t take longer than your average wrapping paper clean-up.” That said, don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t spot the pesky doll. It may speed up your search to know that you can only see half of her body; the other half is covered by a few extra toys. Still stumped? Check out the photo below to see where the doll has been hiding. <img style="width: 500px; height:333.3333333333333px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846352/new-photo-768x512_gh_content_750px.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/dbf74793a0424e80b8f564e0ee6879ea" /> Image: Channel Mum Written by Brooke Nelson. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/thought-provoking/can-you-find-doll-among-all-christmas-presents" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Channel Mum <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Mind

Missing piece of the Cleo Smith puzzle

Image: Getty Detectives continue the search for the sleeping bag Cleo Smith was curled up in when she was allegedly snatched from her tent at the Blowholes campsite. A police spokesperson said it was believed the red and grey sleeping bag was still unaccounted for. Forensic teams continue to examine other items from the site and the Carnarvon home where the four-year-old was found after being missing for 18 days. The sleeping bag was deemed a critical item during the search, with police releasing a image that was on missing person posters all over the country. Motorists travelling on the North West Coastal Highway have even been urged to keep an eye out for the item as police conducted search through roadside bins. Officers went through 50 cubic metres of rubbish recovered from bins from Minilya to Geraldton, but the sleeping bag was not found. The item was also not found at the home of Terence Kelly, who is currently behind bars for the alleged abduction of Cleo Smith from her tent. Further charges could be laid but over the abduction of Cleo, but WA deputy Police commissioner ruled out claims that a “mystery woman” was being investigated. Cleo Smith vanished from her family's tent while on a camping trip at the Quobba Blowholes on October 16th, and was rescued 18 days later. Terence Darrell Kelly has been charged with two offences, including one count of forcibly taking a child aged under 16.

Legal

Can you spot the invitation amongst the brides and grooms?

Stretch your brain muscles and test your observation skills with this tricky wedding-themed brain teaser from Cambridge Weight Plan. To solve the puzzle, you must spot the invitation among the crowd of wedding guests. According to the UK-based puzzle creators, the record time to beat when spotting the hidden invitation is 31 seconds - but can you solve it faster? <img style="width: 500px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843249/puzzle1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ee6c4b98548f40529f3bd5ff008180da" /> Image: Cambridge Weight Plan If you need a hint, take a look at the pink ribbons at the bottom of the image. Mark Gilbert, a nutritionist at Cambridge Weight Plan, said: “We’ve created our brain teaser to provide brides, grooms and attendees with some light-hearted, challenging fun this month. With the record set at 31 seconds, we want to see who can beat the clock!” Scroll down further to find the solution. <img style="width: 500px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843248/puzzle2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/29d13f20fc574dbb93f899dcc6b897b9" /> Image: Cambridge Weight Plan

Mind

10 long riddles to give your brain a workout

Who doesn’t love a good riddle? Whether you prefer easy riddles, hard riddles, or short riddles, there’s just something about trying to solve these brain busters that keeps us coming back for more. Come on, is there anything better than finally solving a mind-bender we’ve been stuck on for a while? You may consider yourself a master of riddles, but remember – you haven’t seen our list of long riddles yet. Buckle up – these riddles will get your gears turning! Can you solve these long riddles? The farmer's river crossing A farmer went to a market and bought a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage. On his way home, the farmer came to the bank of a river and rented a boat. But crossing the river by boat, the farmer could carry only himself and a single one of his purchases: the wolf, the goat, or the cabbage. If left unattended together, the wolf would eat the goat, or the goat would eat the cabbage. The farmer’s challenge was to carry himself and his purchases to the far bank of the river, leaving each purchase intact. How did he do it? Answer: The farmer takes seven trips over – here are his steps: Take the goat over Return Take the wolf or cabbage over Return with the goat Take the cabbage or wolf over Return Take goat over Note: The riddle doesn’t forbid the farmer from bringing a purchase back, which makes the steps above possible. The suspicious hotel visit A woman is sitting in her hotel room and hears a knock at the door. She opens the door to see a man whom she’s never met before. He says, “I’m sorry, I have made a mistake, I thought this was my room.” He then goes down the corridor and into the elevator. The woman goes back into her room and calls security. What made the woman so suspicious of the man? Answer: If he really thought it was his hotel room, he would have tried to open the door – not knock on it first. Man and a brick A man is found unconscious in front of a store at two in the morning. His head is bleeding and there’s a brick laying next to him. When the police arrive, they carry the man to jail. Why did they arrest him? Answer: The man was trying to rob the store. He threw a brick at the store’s bullet-proof window and it bounced back and hit him. My three sons A father told his three sons he would die soon and he needed to decide which one of them to give his property to. He said, “Go to the market and buy something that is large enough to fill my bedroom, but small enough to fit in your pocket. From this, I will decide which of you is the wisest and worthy enough to inherit my land.” They all went to the market, and each came back with a different item. The father told his sons to come into his bedroom one at a time and try to fill up his bedroom with their item. The first son came in and put some pieces of cloth he bought and laid them across the room, but it barely covered the floor. The second son came in and laid some hay on the floor, but there was only enough to cover half the floor. The third son came in and showed his father what he bought. He wound up getting the property. What did the third son show his father? Answer: A box of matches. Whenever he lit a match, it filled the room with light. The big family There’s a girl who has a large family. She has an equal amount of brothers and sisters, but each brother only has half as many brothers and sisters. What’s the correct amount of brothers and sisters? Answer: Four sisters and three brothers. Door to paradise You stand in front of two doors. A guard stands next to each door. You know the following things: one path leads to paradise, the other leads to death. You cannot distinguish between the two doors. You also know that one of the two guards always tells the truth and the other always lies. You have permission to ask one guard one question to discover which door leads to paradise. What one question would you ask to guarantee you enter the door to paradise? Answer: Ask, “Which door would the other guard say leads to paradise?” The basket full of hats There is a basket full of hats. Three are white and two are black. Three men, Tom, Tim and Jim, each take a hat out of the basket and put it on their heads without seeing the hat they selected or the hats the other men selected. The men arrange themselves so Tom can see Tim and Jim’s hats, Tim can see Jim’s hat, and Jim can’t see anyone’s hat. Tom is asked what colour his hat is and he says he doesn’t know. Tim is asked the same question, and he also doesn’t know. Finally, Jim is asked the question, and he does know. What colour is his hat? Answer: The hat is white. If Tom doesn’t know his hat colour then the other two men’s hats cannot be both black otherwise he would know his hat is white. When Tim doesn’t know his hat colour either, that means Jim’s hat could not be black otherwise Tim would have to know his hat was white based on Tom’s answer. What word am I? Consider this about a word: The first two letters signify a male, the first three letters signify a female, the first four letters signify a great, while the entire world signifies a great woman. What is the word? Answer: Heroine. The lake house Sally lives in a place where six months of the year is mild summer and the temperature drops significantly the other six months. She owns a lake where there is a small island. She wants to build a house on the island and needs to get materials there. She doesn’t have a boat, plane, or anything to transport them to the island. How does Sally solve this problem? Answer: She waits to take the materials over during the colder months because the lake will freeze over, so she can walk over it. The old horror house You walk into an old horror house. It has no power or plumbing. Once inside, you see three doors. Each door has a number on it. Behind each door is a way for you to die. Behind door number one, you die by getting eaten by a lion. Behind door number two, you die by getting murdered. Behind door number three, you die by electric chair. You can’t turn back, so you have to go through a door. Which door do you go through? Answer: Door number three – the house has no power, which means it doesn’t have electricity. Therefore, the electric chair won’t work. Image credit: Getty Images This article first appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/thought-provoking/long-riddles-to-give-your-brain-a-workout" target="_blank" title="Long riddles to give your brain a workout">Reader’s Digest</a>.

Retirement Life

How to solve a jigsaw puzzle fast

Puzzle-solving tips from the experts Sitting down to begin work on a jigsaw puzzle is an exciting but daunting experience. Alfonso Alvarez-Ossorio, the president of the World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation, and Tammy McLeod, a competitive puzzle solver, share their tips on solving puzzles quickly, expert strategies for completing jigsaw puzzles of all sizes, the best methods to get started with the hobby of puzzling, and more details about how jigsaw champions work on their puzzles. The challenges of solving a puzzle fast “The difficulty of a jigsaw puzzle – and the time it will take to assemble it – is directly proportional to the number of pieces,” says Alvarez-Ossorio. In addition, there are two factors that account for the difficulty of a jigsaw puzzle, says Alvarez-Ossorio. First, he says is the “morphology of the pieces, which depends on the manufacturer and the die used (the more you distinguish some pieces from others, the easier),” and second is “the contrast of the puzzle image (the greater the contrast, the more diversity of colours and strokes more defined, the easier and faster the assembly).” The right surface Where you do jigsaw puzzles is almost as important as how you do one. “In official competitions, vinyl-plastic is used so that the pieces move quickly across the surface,” says Alvarez-Ossorio. The mats are usually used white, “to reflect the light of space – lighting is a very important factor.” When doing a puzzle at home, you’ll want a dedicated space, such as a folding card table, so you can spread out your pieces and so they won’t get lost. If you don’t have room, puzzle mats are helpful because you can easily roll a puzzle-in-progress up for storage when you need to reclaim your dining room or coffee table. Different strategies for different puzzles In her personal puzzle-solving experience, “a 500 piece jigsaw is small enough to be spread out completely on a table so that all the pieces can be viewed at the same time,” McLeod shares. “This makes it easy to simply pick out pieces to be assembled, without sorting; usually, each piece contains enough details to uniquely identify it.” Larger puzzles are a different story, however. With a puzzle of 2000 pieces or more, “each piece contains a much smaller portion of the full image, so it’s faster to sort into general groups,” she says. Edges first? A popular strategy is to put the edges of the puzzle together first because, with one straight edge, the pieces are easier to identify and put together. “There isn’t a single strategy that will work for 100 per cent of puzzles, but in the majority of cases, it is easiest to start with the edge,” McLeod says. “This does not apply for non-rectangular puzzles and some puzzles where the edge pieces are cut interchangeably, but generally, to solve a puzzle fast, sorting is key.” Cutting corners Because there are only four of them, McLeod doesn’t spend time looking for corner pieces. “You’d have to spend a lot of time sifting through all the pieces just to find them,” she says. “Instead, start by pulling out the edges, then when you have most of them, start assembling them.” She goes to say that you shouldn’t be of the mind that you need to find every single edge piece, as that too will waste time. “The few edge pieces that you miss will naturally emerge after other pieces get placed.” Smart sorting “The larger the puzzle, the more time you should devote to sorting the pieces,” says Alvarez-Ossorio. “Divide the jigsaw puzzle by zones, normally identified by colours, though sometimes it can also be by textures.” For example in a puzzle about nature, “separate an area of trees and another from grass – both can be the same colour but the textures are completely different.” Perfect placement Once you have your pieces sorted, it’s time to start placing them. If your puzzle is of a drawing, painting, or collage that contains lots of details or has words, it makes it easier to place pieces, notes McLeod. On the other hand, “Photographs and landscapes usually have large patches of similar textures which can be a stumbling block for beginners,” she says. Take a break Don’t expect to complete your puzzle in an afternoon. “I have worked on puzzles with over 4000 pieces that take 60+ hours to complete, so I definitely cannot finish them in a single sitting!” McLeod shares. And yes, fresh eyes can help, especially if you’re tired. You may also want to invest in a lighted magnifying glass. Puzzling patience “Working on puzzles helps you develop your hand-eye coordination, your visual acuity, colour and shape recognition, and your patience,” McLeod says It’s also a very meditative activity, she says, “Your mind can wander while your hands and eyes are involved with assembling plus you get a hit of dopamine every time you fit a piece, so it becomes a long session of satisfying feelings.” Written by Jeff Bogle. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/how-to-solve-a-jigsaw-puzzle-fast">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA93V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a>

Mind

20 rebus puzzles that are almost impossible to solve

Test your smarts with these rebus puzzles Rebus puzzles, also known as word picture puzzles or picture riddles, use images or words to convey a phrase or message, typically a common idiom or expression. To help you solve them, make sure to look at word placement, size, colour and quantity. Take your time and don’t give up. These can be pretty tricky. To help you get your brain on the right track, take a look at the most frequently used idioms in the English language. Rebus puzzle #1 We’ll start off with a simple rebus puzzle. Can you guess this one? Answer: Green with envy. Rebus puzzle #2 Can you solve this puzzle? Hint: Focus on the word here. Answer: Split pea soup. Try these 21 brain games guaranteed to boost your brain power. Rebus puzzle #3 This is one of the rebus puzzles where you need to focus on the placement – and number – of numbers. Answer: For once in my life. Rebus puzzle #4 Tilt your head to solve this rebus puzzle. Answer: What goes up must come down. See how you fare with these 19 trivia questions only geniuses get right. Rebus puzzle #5 How fast can you solve this tricky rebus puzzle? Make sure to take note of the placement of the words. Answer: Overseas travel. Wrack your brain with these mind-bending logic puzzles. Rebus puzzle #6 You might think this rebus puzzle has something to do with wine, but think again. Answer: Win with ease. Rebus puzzle #7 Hint: Think of different types of house layouts. Answer: Split level. Here are 5 more puzzles sure to get you thinking. Rebus puzzle #8 The answer isn’t “try to stand.” If that’s what you thought, keep guessing. Answer: Try to understand. This puzzle was dubbed the hardest ever by a university professor. Can you solve it? Rebus puzzle #9 Clear your brain and think hard about this rebus puzzle. Can you solve it? Answer: Summer (sum R). Rebus puzzle #10 We’ll give you a hint to solve this rebus puzzle. What words start with “meta”? Answer: Metaphor. Rebus puzzle #11 Hmm, what do those numbers mean? Answer: Safety in numbers. Rebus puzzle #12 First, rearrange the letters to make a real word. Answer: Trail mix. Rebus puzzle #13 We’ll throw in one of the easier rebus puzzles to give your brain a rest. (The colour here matters.) Answer: Greenhouse. Rebus puzzle #14 Can you figure out why the word “cover” appears four times and the word “head” only appears once? Answer: Head for cover. Rebus puzzle #15 This one is tricky. What words do you see? Answer: Go up in smoke. Rebus puzzle #16 This rebus puzzle represents an idiom you might use when you’re happy. Answer: Sitting on top of the world. Rebus puzzle #17 Notice the shape of this rebus puzzle to help you solve it. Answer: Street corner. Rebus puzzle #18 Can you decode this one? Answer: In between jobs. Rebus puzzle #19 Rebus puzzles aren’t easy. If you’ve solved every one so far, that’s super impressive. Answer: Up for grabs. Rebus puzzle #20 How many of these rebus puzzles did you get right? Guess this last one and finish strong. Answer: Forgive and forget. Written by Morgan Cutolo. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/thought-provoking/20-rebus-puzzles-that-are-almost-impossible-to-solve?pages=1">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.com.au/subscribe">here’s our best subscription offer</a>. Written by Morgan Cutolo. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/see-the-last-photos-ever-taken-of-nelson-mandela">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.com.au/subscribe">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Mind

The incredibly "puzzling" thing one boy did for the Queen to cheer her up

While many members of the royal family have begun to return their normal lives, and even attend public engagements again - Queen Elizabeth is continuing to remain in lockdown in Windsor Castle. Due to the royal’s older age, she is at higher risk for COVID-19 and that’s exactly why Essex boy Timothy Madders put his brain to the test and got to making Her Majesty the ultimate boredom buster present. The seven-year-old "wanted to do something to cheer her up," his mother, Jo Madders, told the BBC. And to do that, he configured a happiness-themed word puzzle in his “best handwriting.” He included words like “smile”, “happiness,” “family” and “jolly.” "She's probably wanting to keep herself busy," he explained. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 7-year-old Timothy Madders from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Billericay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Billericay</a> created a happiness themed word search and sent it to Buckingham Palace for the Queen. A few days ago he got a reply! <a href="https://t.co/oJJitT7XP2">pic.twitter.com/oJJitT7XP2</a> — BBC Essex (@BBCEssex) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCEssex/status/1281482836655177728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2020</a></blockquote> Timothy included a short but heartfelt letter along with the puzzle, writing, "You might be feeling sad or lonely during lockdown, so I thought I could make a word search for you to cheer you up." The gesture was well-received, with Timothy revealing he recieve a letter from one of the British monarch's ladies-in-waiting, expressing her gratitude. “The Queen wishes me to write and thank you for your kind letter, and for the puzzle you have created especially for Her Majesty," the letter read. “Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated, and the Queen hopes that you too are keeping safe and well in the current situation. “I am to thank you very much indeed for writing as you did at this time." Timothy said the letter "was very good and it was very important and made me happy that she liked it."

Caring

Why a Will is only one piece of the estate planning puzzle

More than 50% of Australian’s don’t have a Will or estate plan, let alone other important medical and life documentation in place. It may be daunting to consider another person to make a life-changing medical decision, to be guardian of your children or to be your Power of Attorney if you fall ill or become incapacitated. However, the unavoidable fact is, if you don’t think about these serious decisions now, your partner or children might be put in a situation where they are left guessing your wishes, causing extreme stress, chaos and uncertainty. It is normal to forward plan in other aspects of our life, such as finances, insurances or superannuation to ensure we and our families are protected. Don’t skip planning for your life. We believe something as important as estate planning should be easy, so we have developed a unique package called <a href="https://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/mylifedocuments/">MyLife Documents™</a>. This unique offer allows you to prepare five essential estate planning legal documents easily, in one go, for a fixed price and under the consultation of an expert Wills & Estate Planning lawyer. As I assure you in my book, <a href="http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/ebook">The Australian Guide to Wills & Estate Planning</a>, Wills and estate planning doesn’t have to be as daunting, labour intensive or expensive as you may think and the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Making plans now is the best way to ensure that your family and loved ones are looked after if anything should happen to you. Blackburn Lawyers work with you over two consultations to prepare five vital documents: 1. A standard Will A Will is a legal document that enables you to determine how your ‘estate’ is to be distributed after your death. This includes your money, property, shares, investments and possessions. While separate from your estate, you should also make decisions about how your superannuation is dealt with when you make your Will. 2. Enduring Power of Attorney (POA) An Enduring Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows you to nominate one or more persons to act on your behalf for legal, financial and personal decisions. This can start when you decide and continues to be effective if you lose the ability to make your own decisions. 3. Appointment of Medical Treatment Decision Maker The appointment of a Medical Treatment Decision Maker is different to a POA, as they are tasked specifically with making medical decisions for you if you are ill or injured and unable to make them for yourself. 4. Advance Care Directive In relation to your medical decisions, you are also able to prepare a second document called an Advance Care Directive which allows you to record your wishes regarding treatment and communicate them to your Medical Treatment Decision Maker so that they have an understanding of what is important to you. 5. Statement of Wishes A Statement of Wishes is a separate document to your Will. A Statement of Wishes is not binding but can assist your executors when it comes time to administer your estate. At Maurice Blackburn, we store your Statement of Wishes with your Will so that executors have everything they need to administer your estate. Things that might be included in a Statement of Wishes: <ul> <li>music that you wish to be played at your funeral</li> <li>who your pallbearers will be</li> <li>who will scatter your ashes</li> <li>other preferences around burial or cremation</li> <li>the location of your assets so your executors may easily find them</li> <li>who you would like notified about your death.</li> </ul> These five essential legal and medical documents work hand-in-hand to protect your loved ones in the event you are injured or incapacitated, or if you pass away. Failure to do so can create uncertainty and stress for family and friends, leaving them guessing your wishes. In my experience, the cost of not planning your estate is far greater than the cost of planning it. Don’t put it off any longer, as your family will always be better off with these documents in place. By making one simple phone call today, you can take the pressure off your family and loved ones down the line. Andrew Simpson is the National Head of Wills & Estate Planning at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers. Andrew has 20 years’ experience as a lawyer and for the past 18 of these years he has practiced in <a href="https://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/our-people/lawyers/andrew-simpson/">Wills disputes</a> and <a href="https://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/our-people/lawyers/andrew-simpson/">Estate planning</a>, so he understands the many facets of <a href="https://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/our-people/lawyers/andrew-simpson/">Estate law</a>. He is so passionate about this area of law that he wrote a plain English book about it to help people understand the importance of Estate planning. A best-seller, <a href="http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/ebook">The Australian Guide to Wills & Estate Planning</a>, has just been republished and is available in all good bookstores. For all oversixty.com.au readers, we are pleased to offer a <a href="http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/ebook">FREE download</a> of Andrew’s book, valued at $29.95 This is a sponsored post written in partnership with <a href="http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/createmywill">Maurice Blackburn Lawyers</a>.

Legal

Fright for sore eyes: Can you spot the ghost among the ghouls?

Halloween is approaching fast – so why not try testing your sight with this Halloween-themed brain teaser? Created by <a href="https://aira-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/Redirect?ukey=13s5Wtz7jilpLxclOdEVs6gNYdj5JJM1cETq1d0aS0JU-0&key=YAMMID-98497662&link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.libertygames.co.uk%2F">Liberty Games</a>, this puzzler hides a ghost among a collection of skulls, vampires, mummies and scary pumpkins. Take a look at the image and see for yourself: <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832083/pactual.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2f9dc6dbf683416b9e295f83324e9ff3" /> Could you spot it? If you can’t, try again before scrolling below. Once you’re ready to confirm, find the answer on the picture below: <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832082/pactual2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b67d545d19124af78f2f78c97b157de0" />

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Fright for sore eyes: Can you spot the ghost among the ghouls?

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