Surprisingly, quite a few sayings that include the word colour relate to naval terminology.

To sail under false colours is to pretend to have a different view or identity in order to conceal one’s true purpose. This tactic was used by pirates who preyed on ships by flying a ‘friendly’ flag to lure in vessels and attack them.

To show your true colours is to reveal your true character. Colours were flags used in the army or on battleships. The colours identified troops so they could locate their own boundary if they got separated from their unit. During the Napoleonic Wars, false colours were flown as a ruse of war in order to gain an advantage, however the rule was that the false flag had to be lowered, showing their true colours before a shot could be fired.

The term to pass with flying colours comes from the practice of a victorious fleet sailing into port with flags flying from the mastheads. Today, if you triumphantly succeed or exceed expectations you pass with flying colours.

A colourful character is a person who behaves in an interesting and amusing way and those who have a colourful past have been involved in exciting and often slightly shocking situations. Colourful language is rude or offensive and a colourful story is full of controversial details.

To be colourless is to lack personality, to be off colour is to be slightly ill and to colour up is to blush or go red in the face. If something is highly coloured it is exaggerated, and if you lend colour to something you make it seem true or probable.

Hopefully you’ll be tickled pink with our crosswords this month and not singing the blues!

Happy puzzling!