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Well, actually

Living a good life in a complex world

Well Actually

  • A before and after shot of a watermelon (with eyes and mouth painted on it) in a hydraulic press.

    ‘There’s so much you can crush’: why hydraulic press videos are so popular and so satisfying

  • illustration of a woman looking one way and a younger version of her pulling her the other way

    Can my ‘inner child’ help me navigate life as an adult?

    People on TikTok are exploring the idea of ‘reparenting’ their younger self. Could I reconnect with mine?
  • A woman touches her face as she looks in the mirror

    Well actually
    Cortisol face, raw milk and skincare for kids: the biggest wellness trends of 2024

    Will lowering cortisol levels help with puffiness? Do you need to take magnesium? What’s underconsumption core? We’re here to help
  • cars with bright headlights on a road at night

    Headlights are too bright! But US experts say they’re not bright enough

  • An illustration showing mirror images of a woman, one her normal self, the other with her face covered with a mask and pills flying out of a bottle held in the palm of the hand

    Ask Ugly
    I was prescribed acne medicine for one active zit. Should I swallow the pill?

  • close up of a man washing off face mask with a sponge

    Do you really need to exfoliate your face?

  • vegetable miso soup

    Food fad or science – or both? Why cooking with water may help slow ageing

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Reclaim your brain

The toolkit

  • A sunscreen’s SPF, or sun protection factor, indicates how much protection a product offers.

    Sun season
    What is SPF and how much sunscreen do you really need? Experts answer

  • a person smokes cannabis

    California sober
    What does it mean and is it good for you?

  • Colourful flat lay view of different types of sliced fruits and vegetables on a pink background.

    The 30-plant challenge
    Experts say we need to eat 30 plants a week. This is how I fared

  • Black cup of coffee on the black and brown table among spilled roasted coffee beans.

    Coffee
    How much coffee is OK for me to drink in a day? I asked the experts

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Columns

  • Graphic illustration of woman looking at doorway that has light streaming through it.

    Why am I like this?
    Is being a cynic bad for you? Here’s what I learned

  • An illustration of a woman slightly frowning. Her hair appears to be turning white and there are bolts of lightning over it

    Ask Ugly
    All of the ‘iffy’ comments about my gray hair bother me. Should I start dyeing it again?

  • An illustration of a young child hugging her mother

    Halfway there: a column about midlife
    Oily skin, body parts misbehaving: how perimenopause feels like puberty

  • illustration of woman shouting at toes

    Ask Ugly
    I hate my big, ugly feet. How can I come to terms with them?

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Health & wellbeing

  • One more set … Emma Beddington gets to grips with a pair of dumbbells.

    ‘My upper arms are like jelly’: can I learn to love weightlifting in six weeks?

  • Young couple making their bed in brightly lit bedroom (posed by models)

    Should you make your bed in the morning? Why some doctors say no

    • A concerned-looking woman rests her arm on a man's shoulder, as he looks into the distance.

      I haven’t had sex with my husband for three years – and I’m ready to look elsewhere

    • Zoe Williams

      It’s taken me 20 years, but I’ve finally updated my to-do list

      Zoe Williams
    • A composite image of a pill and a muscular man

      Exercise in a pill: have scientists really found a drug that’s as good for you as a 10km run?

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Relationships

  • Composite for Moment I Knew: Nelli Stevenson, Aaron and son Reuben in July 2023

    The moment I knew: I was an activist out at sea – but all I wanted was to go home and marry Aaron

  • Priya and Ezra

    This is how we do it: ‘We’ve done everything else, but haven’t had penetrative sex, because he’s very religious’

  • Composite of Florence and Joe

    Blind date: ‘Hopefully he thought I was funny, as I do try pretty hard’

  • Heart of matches - romantic symbol.<br>Matches which are assembled to a symbolic heart

    How to feel the spark (and keep it alive) – from first date to 50th anniversary

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Food

  • Meera Sodha's mac and cheese with parsley and garlic oil.

    Meera Sodha’s recipe for vegan mac and cheese with garlic and parsley oil

  • Yotam Ottolenghi's marinated chicken thighs with fenugreek and ginger.

    Ask Ottolenghi: how do I stop my marinades burning?

  • Yotam Ottolenghi's quejadas de leite milk tarts with preserved berries.

    Milk tarts and special sauce spinach: Yotam Ottolenghi’s freezer-raid recipes

  • Tom Hunt's salad-bag soup – a diner's view

    How to turn old bagged salad into a nutritious soup – recipe

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Puzzles

  • many crosswords

    Crossword blog
    Devious humour and painful puns: will the cryptic crossword remain the last thing AI can’t conquer?

  • Cryptic crosswords
    Cryptic crossword No 29,535

    • Quick crosswords
      Quick crossword No 17,009

    • Sudoku
      Observer killer sudoku

    • Prize crosswords
      Prize crossword No 29,536

    • Killer sudoku
      Observer killer sudoku

    • Thomas Eaton
      What is the busiest UK railway station outside of London? The Saturday quiz

    • Alex Bellos's Monday puzzle
      Did you solve it? How to outsmart a shy voter

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