Christine's Desk - Lovatts

Welcome to my Desk, where you’ll find all sorts of items to hold your interest. Unlike my real office desk, which is cluttered with books, files, news cuttings and the remnants of my lunch, this Online Desk will be efficient and easy to navigate.

Learn some of the tricks of solving those weird cryptic crosswords on my tutorials page.

If you wonder about the origins of some of our wonderful English expressions, Words & Phrases is the place to find out more.

Read about the puzzling but positive effect Lovatts has on your health in Puzzles & your Health. We’d love to hear from you, so write a letter to Christine’s Mailbag. You might want to comment on my regular column @ Christine’s Hello.

There’s something for everyone here, so come on in!

Latest Posts

11 03, 2024

World poetry day

  • March 11th, 2024

Poetry is often described as the universal language for the way it transcends social, cultural, and linguistic barriers. Whether it’s a formal form like a sonnet, or haiku, or more fluid like free verse or spoken word, poetry captures the essence of human existence and connects people from diverse backgrounds, fostering empathy and understanding. Throughout history, poetry has also served as [more…]

1 03, 2024

Discover the forbidden dance

  • March 1st, 2024

In the 18th century, dancing was very much a communal activity. Dancers didn’t just dance with a partner, but in two lines, so that partners faced each other and moved back and forth, and never touched apart from holding hands. They danced with each of the opposite line in a stately, rigid manner.

Then the unthinkable happened.

People in Vienna started to dance [more…]

21 02, 2024

Who is Charles Dickens?

  • February 21st, 2024

It’s very hard to write about Charles Dickens without writing thousands of words, because there’s so much to say about the man.

Who knows what sort of world we would be living in if it hadn’t been for Dickens and his focus on social reform? He didn’t make changes single-handedly, but he certainly forced people to look at the injustices of his [more…]

1 02, 2024

World Radio Day

  • February 1st, 2024

World Radio Day was adopted as a UN International Day back in 2012 and serves as a tribute to the power of radio as a tool for communication, information sharing, and cultural expression, and emphasises its crucial role in shaping our global societies. The date of February 13th was chosen as it is the anniversary of the creation of United Nations [more…]

17 01, 2024

Start anew in January

  • January 17th, 2024

January is named after the Roman god Janus. His dual-faced image could be found on most city gates and many Roman coins. The two faces are said to be looking back at the past and looking forward to the future at the same time. He was known as the god of beginnings and was invoked at the start of each new [more…]

1 01, 2024

Happy New Year!

  • January 1st, 2024

Throughout the year there are many occasions which we commemorate in different ways. Some festivals have religious significance, others remember historical events or mark the passing of time or the seasons. Throughout the world, even though we may follow different faiths, it’s pleasing to realise that we often celebrate in the same way. The lighting of candles is an important symbol [more…]