Your Stars

ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19): Maintaining a positive attitude is often a matter of putting things in the right scale. Some things cannot be measured on their own. They need to be assessed in the greater scheme of things.

TAURUS (Apr 20-May 20): If you’re spending a lot of time convincing yourself you’re right, chances are you’re not, at least not completely. There’s good fortune in this chance to be thorough, retracing steps to find one you missed.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun 21): While people around you are trying to find their edge, play their advantage and determine the opportunity, you’ll be focused on mutually fulfilling exchanges. Success will be yours over and over.

CANCER (Jun 22-Jul 22): Trying out a slightly different personality can be as easy as poking your head into one of those cardboard cutouts at tourist spots. You maybe get a bit silly, getting a smile out of those around you.

LEO (Jul 23-Aug 22): You’ll pick up the burden already there, but you’re careful not to create anything new to carry. You don’t want to require help with your load. You want to keep your independence, and that means keeping it light.

VIRGO (Aug 23-Sep 22): Most voting doesn’t happen on a ballot. It happens with body language – a smile, a frown, a nod – or the attention you give others or, most commonly, your money. You’ll vote many times today.

LIBRA (Sep 23-Oct 23): Adults often continue parenting themselves in their head in the way they were parented as children. But you can also customise your inner-parenting style to suit your life and the person you want to become.

SCORPIO (Oct 24-Nov 21): In real time, action prevails where words fail. But when it’s about the past or the future, the words win. The story that’s told can overwrite the story that happened and shape tomorrow’s story, too.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21): Your opinion matters – not only to you but also to those who watch you. You’re a thought leader. You’re careful to be fair and discreet if that’s what seems right.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19): Finally, you’ll hear the words you’ve been waiting for. Now you can move forward. The work is really just beginning, but early results will show up to encourage you along these first stages.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18): Today represents a quick perspective shift. You really will see things as your loved one does (at least as much as it is humanly possible to do that), and your relationship will improve because of it.

PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20): You are not motivated by money alone, though you may be highly motivated by a challenge involving a monetary prize. It’s the other factors that make the goal so juicy to you.

Previous Cryptic solution

Across 1. Meeting-point 8. Obdurate .9. Scar 11. Kedge

12. Romance 13. Nark 15. Zest 19. Hostage 20. Homer

22. Rail 23. Metrical 24. Exercise book

Down 2. Ended 3. Turned 4. Notary 5. Incense 6. Turned turtle 7. Rocking-horse 10. Emu 14. Respite 16. Oak

17. Levers 18. Cherub 21. Macho

Previous Quick solution

Across 7. Dilly-dallying 8. Wreckage 9. Acts 10. Wonder

12. Intend 14. Eon 15. Issues 17. Global 19. Itch

21. Rarefied 23. Guardian angel.

Down 1. Vitreous 2. Placed 3. Idea 4. Fleeting 5. Tyrant

6. Knit 11. Restrain 13. Neatened 16. Unhurt 18. Offend

20. Taut 22. Runt.