Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/941670
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2018 Sport 23 FOOTBALL Answers to the MaltaToday crossword will be published next Wednesday WEATHER: Partly cloudy becoming rather cloudy with showers, possibly thundery, gusty and with hail in the afternoon VISIBILITY: Good except in showers WIND: West force 5 becoming Southwest force 6 in the afternoon and veering Northwest force 7 by evening SEA: Rough SWELL: Low to moderate Northwest becoming low Southwest A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 White to play and mate in four moves A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Last week's solution Sudoku rules are extremely easy: Fill all empty squares so that the numbers 1 to 9 appear once in each row, column and 9x9 box. PARTLY CLOUDY 17 º C /11 º C UV INDEX: 2 Today's Weather Chess Sudoku Pursuits Across 6. Whisky (6) 7. Rowing implements (4) 8. Possess (4) 9. Midday nap (6) 10. Royal (5) 12. Nasal grunt (5) 15. Round body (6) 17. Having little hair (4) 18. Digits (4) 19. Make less tight (6) Down 1. Buccaneer (6) 2. Christmas (4) 3. For grooming hair (5) 4. Contemporary (6) 5. Worry (4) 11. Prejudice against old people (6) 13. Alleviation of pain (6) 14. Greeting (5) 16. Trudge (4) 17. Printed volume (4) Bxe6+ Kf8 Qa8 mate or Bxe6+ Kh8 Qh4 mate Ryan Mason: Hull City midfielder forced to retire from football due to 2017 skull fracture HULL City's Ryan Mason has been forced to retire from foot- ball, aged 26. The midfielder was involved in a collision with Chelsea de- fender Gary Cahill in January 2017 which has kept him out of action ever since. Mason, who has one England cap, said in a statement: "I can confirm that following special- ist medical advice I am having to retire from playing profes- sional football. "I have worked tirelessly in or- der to be able to return to the pitch. Unfortunately, having taken expert medical advice, I now have no option but to re- tire due to the risks involved given the nature of my injury." Mason, who started his ca- reer with Tottenham, had loan spells with the likes of Yeovil, Doncaster, Millwall and Swin- don before joining Hull in 2016. He won his sole England cap against Italy in March 2015. Ryan Mason