Reader's Digest Canada - 03.2020

reader’s digest

soul departing the body and taking a “So! Incredible hockey game last
solemn trip to a cold and distant under- night, eh? Did it only serve to
world). To maximize the potential of remind you of your utter lack
a surprised reaction, try it out on an of athletic prowess?”
intern who’s barely entered their 20s.
Follow this up by reminding your col-
“So! Read any good mail that league that a simple yes or no answer
wasn’t addressed to you lately?” will suffice. Then enjoy a long, glorious
period of wistful silence as your con-
Sure, it’s standard to talk about “books,” versation partner quietly reviews their
but we all know that those get tons of life choices.
attention and frankly don’t deserve any
more. Finding out if your co-worker has “So! If you had to guess, why do
casually broken a federal law? That’s you think your dad ultimately
more satisfying than 100 new takes on left your family?”
The Handmaid’s Tale.
Feel free to throw out some possibil-
“So! Let’s list our deepest insecu- ities yourself to help encourage the
rities about our bodies from brainstorm, such as commitment-
‘mild annoyance’ to ‘I google phobia or a secret family in Saskatch-
plastic surgeons three times a ewan. Or maybe suggest that he got
day.’ I’ll go first: I have none and lost on the way home from work and
accept my physical self uncondi- rather than consult a map, he just dou-
tionally. Now you.” bled down and stubbornly started liv-
ing off the land a mere 400 metres from
Make sure you ready your fingers for the family home.
counting as your co-worker begins to
speak—it’s a supportive gesture that “So! Which category of medical
signals to them that no matter what life appointment have you been put-
throws at you both, you’re always more ting off for terror-based reasons?”
than happy to keep a running tally of
the things they hate most about their A classic. Everyone’s got that one pesky
ankles and lower neck. specialist appointment they’ve can-
celled and not yet rescheduled due to
“So! Taking any time off from a possibly legitimate fear of devastat-
your relationship?” ing news. This question is a great way
to tap into your co-worker’s dark and
A bold move. Your co-worker might deeply troubled psyche while simul-
be happily married! Or perhaps they taneously learning the juicy ins and
frequently fantasize about divorce. This outs of their medical history. Just have
is the ideal way to find out. fun with it!

rd.ca 99

reader’s digest

The Shermans’ Toronto
mansion was up for sale
in mid-December, at the
time of their murders.

100 march 2020

EDITORS’ CHOICE

When one of Canada’s wealthiest couples was found
dead in their home, rumours swirled about hired hits,
vengeful mobsters and fentanyl turf wars turned bloody.

But what if it was someone they knew?

THE LAST HOURS OF
HONEY AND BARRY SHERMAN

BY Kevin Donovan

FROM THE BILLIONAIRE MURDERS

reader’s digest

The Discovery sound into a powder room, where she (PREVIOUS SPREAD) FRED LUM/THE GLOBE AND MAIL/THE CANADIAN PRESS; (RIGHT) GEORGE PIMENTEL
found an iPhone lying on the tiled floor.
O n the morning of Friday, Decem- By the time she picked up the phone, it
ber 15, 2017, at 50 Old Colony had stopped ringing. When she moved
Road, in the Toronto suburb of upstairs, she noticed that the bed in
North York, snow was softly dusting the the master bedroom had not been slept
ground, obscuring any footprints that in and that the room was unusually
may have been made over the previ- tidy. Normally on cleaning day, the bed
ous two days. The weather had been was unmade and clothes from the
cold, 10 degrees below freezing. night before were casually strewn on
the bed or a chair. The housecleaner
At the rear of the house was an out- busied herself dusting surfaces and
door pool, long closed for the season, a picture frames.
tennis court surrounded by a fence, and
two patios. In front of the house, one THE SHERMANS’
vehicle was parked on the circular drive- STAFFER CAME BACK
way—a light gold, 10-year-old Lexus FROM THE POOL ROOM.
SUV. A ramp to the right of the vehicle “CALL THE POLICE,”
led down to a closed door that opened
into a six-car underground garage. SHE STAMMERED.

The house belonged to Barry Sher- Shortly before 11 a.m., Elise Stern
man, the 75-year-old multi-billionaire arrived. Stern was a 20-year veteran
founder of the generic pharmaceutical real estate agent who shared the list-
manufacturer Apotex, and his 70-year- ing for the house with Judi Gottlieb,
old wife, Honey. The Shermans had the senior realtor on the file. Just the
recently put it on the market for other day, Gottlieb had shown the
$6.9 million. They were moving to an house to two men who struck her as
even nicer address, closer to growing odd ducks, but you met all kinds in her
grandchildren, on a large pie-shaped business. Gottlieb and her husband
lot in Forest Hill, one of Toronto’s most were now on vacation, and so Stern
exclusive neighbourhoods. was showing the house. She had no
luck when she tried to reach the Sher-
At 8:30 a.m., two people arrived on a mans that morning to make sure it was
clockwork schedule: a housecleaner on all right to have a showing. A couple
her regular Friday visit and a woman was interested in the property, and
who came twice a week to water the
plants in the home. Both women began
their chores on the main floor.

While they were working, a phone
rang. The housecleaner followed the

102 march 2020

Honey and
Barry Sherman
at a fundraiser
in 2012, one of
the many they
attended over
the years.

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reader’s digest

Stern decided she would take a figures, male and female. Stern and
chance on bringing them to the house. Gottlieb had found it unusual, but just
as clients viewing a home could some-
After touring the upper two floors, times be different, so too could the
Stern guided the couple and their agent homeowners. Real estate agents, suc-
to the lower level using a spiral stair- cessful ones, learned not to judge.
case. At the bottom, she led the way
down a wide hallway lined by glass In Stern’s quick look into the pool
block, stooping to pick up some stapled- room, it seemed like there was a simi-
together pages from the tiled floor. That lar art installation positioned by the
was odd, she thought. It was a home- pool. Then her brain caught up, adren-
inspection report for 50 Old Colony. alin surged and her heart started beat-
Someone must have dropped it com- ing faster. She apologized and said they
ing in from the garage. Stern continued could all view the pool room at another
to a locked glass door at the end of the time if there was interest. Still, as she
hallway, pressed a red safety button to related to the Sherman children later,
release a magnetic lock and walked in, at that moment, she wondered if the
outlining as she did the features of the Sherman couple were performing some
indoor lap pool they were about to see. sort of odd meditation.

BOTH SHERMANS Once the couple and their agent had
WERE FULLY DRESSED. departed, the woman hired to water the
plants volunteered to go down and
BARRY’S FACE WAS look into the pool room. She came
UNTOUCHED; HONEY’S back after a few minutes, shaken.
“Call the police,” she stammered.
WAS DAMAGED.
A short while later, officers and
Stern stopped abruptly, not letting paramedics tramped down to the pool
the clients advance. “Oh, I am so sorry,” area. Barry Sherman was in a seated
she said, then turned suddenly and position, legs outstretched, his right
pushed the small group back. “They leg crossed neatly over the left, his back
are doing … yoga. We’ll come back.” In to the lap pool. He was wearing his
an instant, Stern’s eyes had swept the glasses, perched undisturbed on his
rectangular room. She had taken in a nose. His bomber-style jacket was
strange tableau and reacted. pulled slightly off his shoulders and
down, which held his arms at his sides.
In a room upstairs, the Shermans Beside him, Honey, his wife of 47 years,
had an art installation of two life-sized was in a similar position, the light coat
she wore also pulled off her shoulders,
holding her hands at her sides.

104 march 2020

The paramedics quickly estimated Honey’s Last Hours
that the couple had been dead for at
least a day, if not more. Both were fully Honey Sherman left Apotex headquar-
dressed, their coats over top of clothes ters on Wednesday, December 13, at
they had worn that day. Barry’s face 6:30 p.m., as soon as a meeting with
was untouched; Honey’s was damaged, the architects designing the Shermans’
but by what was unclear. new house concluded. She drove off
alone in her gold-coloured Lexus SUV.
SPECULATION AMONG The Shermans’ daughter Alex says a
THE COUPLE’S FRIENDS credit card statement indicated that
INCLUDED A SCENARIO Honey stopped at a children’s store in
Bayview Village Shopping Centre to
WHERE HONEY WAS purchase gifts for Hanukkah.
CARJACKED.
There are also reports circulating
The Sherman family, including Barry among the Sherman friends that Honey
and Honey’s four adult children, were stopped at Bayview Village and some-
notified about the deaths over the next one got into the car with her, but there
few hours. One of their children was is no evidence of this. Security cameras
away in Mexico; one had just returned were not installed at the upscale mall
from a trip to Japan; another had just until 2018, long after the murders.
had a baby; and the fourth was in the Speculation among Sherman friends
middle of planning a wedding with ranges from a scenario where Honey
Honey’s help. was carjacked to a story that she was
picked up by someone she knew at the
As son Jonathon would say at the mall, and drove that person to her
funeral service the following week, in home. It is likely that Honey was home
the first two days after learning their by 8 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.
parents were dead, the four siblings kept
expecting them to walk through the Honey’s Lexus was found parked in
door and say, “Everything will be fine.” its normal spot on the right side of the
house, near the entrance to the under-
“If ever a crisis were to strike, we ground garage. Honey would have
always had two people to call for help,” used a key to open the side door. Once
Jonathon would recall. “One would pro- inside, if she followed her normal
vide calmness, level-headedness and routine, she would have left the door
perspective. The other would instantly unlocked. Barry, if he parked in the
take care of the situation.” driveway and not underground, would
then come in the side door when he
arrived home.

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reader’s digest

The Sherman couple did not believe immediately after. At some point, most
in having a security system. There were likely while she was still alive, a thin
no alarms on the entrances and win- rope or plastic tie was used to fasten her
dows, and no security cameras. The hands. One story the Sherman friends
previous weekend, Barry and Honey have circulated is that Honey was hit
had had a Sunday dinner prior to with a laptop. Other friends have said
attending a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey they were told Honey’s facial injuries
game with their good friends Leslie were caused by her being dragged down
Gales and Keith Ray. During their meal, a stairway to the basement level.
Gales recalls making what had become
a frequent suggestion, telling Barry it AUTOPSIES INDICATE
would be wise for a man of his wealth THAT BOTH SHERMANS
to have a security system and perhaps
a driver or bodyguard. WERE SLOWLY
STRANGLED WITH
“We don’t believe in that stuff,” Barry SOMETHING SOFT.
said in reply. “If they are going to get
you, they are going to get you.” To get downstairs, either the main
staircase or a smaller spiral staircase
It was not unusual for Honey to be would have been used. Honey weighed
alone in the house for several hours in about 170 pounds, and it is most likely
the evening. Unless she had a social or that two people had to work together
charity event, she would head home to move her if she was unconscious or
and wait for Barry to arrive after his dead. Why she was taken to the pool
lengthy workday. room is a question that’s also been
the subject of much speculation. The
Whether Honey entered their house lap pool does not appear to have had
on her own or with someone else that any particular significance in their lives
Wednesday evening, she was violently and was rarely used.
attacked inside the house at some
point. It was most likely before Barry Barry’s Last Hours
came home. One clue is that it was her
iPhone that was found on the floor in Barry Sherman walked out of Apotex
a main-floor powder room that she at about 8:30 p.m., after sending a rou-
rarely used. That has fuelled specula- tine work email from his office desktop
tion that she ran into the room to get computer. With him, he likely had a
away from her attacker, and the phone
was dropped in the ensuing struggle.

Based on her facial injuries, she may
have been struck in the face to subdue
her, dying by strangulation almost

106 march 2020

copy of the home-inspection report bedroom. The autopsies indicate that
their realtors had arranged, detailing both Barry and Honey were slowly
the state of 50 Old Colony Road. strangled with something soft, cutting
off air but not crushing the hyoid bone
With no security cameras at the in the neck. It appears likely that the
home, it is impossible to know if he recently purchased belts were used.
was alone in his car. And while Sher- This is an indication that at some point
man often parked overnight in the cir- one of the attackers went upstairs and
cular driveway near the front door, his got the second belt.
car was found in the basement parking
garage, giving rise to speculation that THE POSITIONING OF
he decided, for some reason, to park THE BODIES MAY HAVE
there that evening. Snow was predicted BEEN AN ATTEMPT TO
for the following day, and that may MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A
have contributed to his decision. Or
perhaps he had a passenger in the car MURDER-SUICIDE.
who suggested, or insisted on, parking
underground. Once dead, Barry and Honey were
pulled or pushed up against the metre-
Both the ramp to the garage and the high stainless-steel railing that sur-
driveway of the Sherman home are rounds one end of the lap pool. The
heated, so no footprints or tire tracks belts were looped around their necks
would be recorded in the snow. Once and tied to the railing, holding them
he drove down the ramp, Sherman up in a seated position. Their legs were
would have parked his car and left the straight out front, away from the pool.
garage through a door that opens onto
a long hallway that leads to the two Of note is that more thought appears
staircases, one at either end of the cor- to have been given to Barry’s position-
ridor. It is reasonable to conclude that ing. His right leg was crossed over his
Barry was grabbed as he exited the left, and his glasses were positioned
garage and entered the hallway, drop- perfectly on his nose. Whatever ties
ping the home-inspection report. At had bound their wrists were removed.
some point, his wrists were bound It is most likely that the wrists were
together, as Honey’s were, and he was bound when they were alive, then
taken to the pool room. unbound when they were unconscious
or dead, and the jackets pulled down
That morning, when Barry got after they were killed, possibly as part
dressed, he used one of the two belts
Honey had purchased for him at Cana-
dian Tire. The other belt he had appar-
ently left somewhere in the master

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reader’s digest

Police were called
at 11:43 a.m. on
December 15, 2017,
about 90 minutes
after the discovery
of the bodies.

of an attempt—a weak attempt, it first, that the attackers wanted some-
seemed to many—to make it look like thing from Barry and showed him his
double suicide or murder-suicide. injured wife and threatened to kill her
if he did not do what was asked. Sec-
That Honey had damage to her face ond, that the couple was killed outright
and Barry did not, and that more care to get them out of the way for financial
was taken to position Barry, invites or other reasons. In the first scenario, it
speculation that the killer or killers felt was an attempt at extortion. In the sec-
differently toward husband and wife. A ond, either hatred or revenge were in
theory discussed among close friends play, or it was a cold-blooded attempt
of the Shermans is this: perhaps the to obtain something with the death of
killer or killers regarded Barry more both of the Shermans.
positively than Honey and wanted him
to appear serene in death. Or it was IF THE MURDER
simply happenstance, or an attempt to WAS PAYBACK FOR
make the crime scene confusing. Or, A BUSINESS DEAL
even more simply, to give the indica- INVOLVING BARRY, WHY
tion that Barry had attacked his wife, KILL HONEY, TOO?
killed her, then killed himself.

The Puzzle

CHRISTOPHER KATSAROV/THE CANADIAN PRESS It was impossible to pinpoint the exact A third and unlikely scenario, that
time of death, forensic sources say, the attack was a home invasion gone
because of the environment where the wrong, does not seem to fit the crime
bodies were found. Human tissue scene, as the house was not left in
decomposes faster in warm tempera- disarray, and nothing appears to have
tures and humid conditions. Being in been stolen. A fourth scenario, that
the pool room meant that the bodies this was payback specifically to Barry
would degrade faster than if they were Sherman for some business deal, also
in a cool, dry environment. Was that seems unlikely, as it would have been
why they were left there, to make it much easier to kill him as he left his
harder to determine exactly when they office at his usual late hour. Barry
died? Or was the pool room, with its Sherman had said this to friends many
tiled floor, chosen as the best place to times over the years, and it was his pri-
clean up any stray bits of evidence the mary reason for not bothering with a
killers dropped? security protocol at home. If it was
payback for a business deal, why kill
As to what happened during the
attack, two scenarios seem most likely:

rd.ca 109

reader’s digest

Honey? And why try to make it look Only someone with insider knowledge
like a murder-suicide? would know that.

Did Barry and Honey Sherman As to the lack of outdoor cameras
know their killers? I believe so. Con- on the Sherman property, a casual cas-
sider this: the Shermans were killed ing of the house by the killer or killers
soon after they both attended a meet- might have been all that was needed
ing at Apotex to discuss their house- to determine if there was visible evi-
building plans. That meeting was ori- dence of video surveillance. But mod-
ginally scheduled a day earlier and was ern video cameras can be easily hid-
rescheduled with little notice. den, so it seems that the killer or
killers must have known enough about
I’VE NEVER BELIEVED Barry Sherman to know that he did not
THE SHERMAN believe in having any security meas-
ures installed at his residence.
MURDERS WERE A CASE
OF INTERNATIONAL Shortly after the bodies were discov-
INTRIGUE OR SPIES. ered, a series of increasingly far-fetched
rumours began circulating about who
Also, they were killed in their home the killers were. In the “honey pot”
on a night when neither had a sched- theory, Barry Sherman had a liaison
uled event that would keep them out with a prostitute, her pimp was extort-
of the house. Another timing issue is ing him, and in a fit of anger, the pimp
that the Shermans were killed the night killed both Shermans. In another the-
before a day on which Barry had no ory, Mossad agents had been sent from
important work meetings planned. All Israel on behalf of an Israeli generic
these pieces of the puzzle suggest that pharmaceutical firm that had a grudge
the killer or killers had more than a against Sherman. In another, Hells
passing knowledge of the Shermans. Angels bikers had committed the mur-
ders as part of a turf war over who con-
The location of the murders is also trolled fentanyl distribution. In another,
noteworthy. I think the killer or killers it was fraudsters being sued by Barry
knew the layout of the house, includ- Sherman, who were seeking a quick
ing where the pool is. In addition, while end to a lengthy litigation.
the pool had a security camera visible
to anyone walking through the room, I have never believed this was a case
the cables to power it and connect it to of international intrigue, spies or a busi-
a monitor had never been hooked up. ness deal gone bad. Big Pharma and
some government regulators did not like
Barry Sherman, that is true. But they sue;
they do not kill. This story has always

110 march 2020

seemed to follow the same pattern as the subject of an application to the
most murders: a pattern that suggests city in early 2019. The Sherman family
it involved someone they knew. had asked for and obtained permis-
sion to demolish the house due to the
The End? “bad memories and a stigma attached
due to the incident that took place.”
At the time of this writing, the police The Toronto Police were aware of this
investigation continues, as does the development but took no position on
family’s private investigation. Sources the plan, as they had returned the home
tell me that the two family members to the family long before.
most active in pushing the police to
stay focused on the investigation are Construction hoarding went up
their daughter Alex and Honey’s sister around the home, and in May 2019,
Mary, frequently passing on informa- excavators tore the house down, fill-
tion they think might be pertinent. ing in the outdoor pool and the base-
ment lap pool where the Shermans’
Barry and Honey Sherman were bur- bodies were found. The property was
ied in a Jewish cemetery in the north graded flat, and the family plans to sell
end of Toronto. Their headstone high- it as a building lot.
lights their legacy of service: “Mom
and Dad were beloved leaders and Whatever clues to the murder the
members of our community, and they home might have held are now bur-
are dearly missed by all who knew ied forever.
and loved them.”
EXCERPTED AND CONDENSED FROM THE BILLIONAIRE
The home where the Shermans lived MURDERS, BY KEVIN DONOVAN. COPYRIGHT © 2019,
and died, at 50 Old Colony Road, was BY KEVIN DONOVAN. PUBLISHED BY VIKING, A DIVISION
OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE CANADA LIMITED.
REPRODUCED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH THE PUBLISHER.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Spring Broken

Woke my kids at 6 a.m. on their first day of Spring Break.
Because vengeance is mine.

@SIMONCHOLLAND

Just made a rule that we don’t eat another’s ears. Can someone
please tell me exactly when the “break” part of Spring Break happens?

@ L E T M E S TA R T

Spring Break is all about family togetherness...
meaning we’re all sharing the same disgusting virus.

@HOUSEWIFEOFHELL

rd.ca 111

reader’s digest WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS
by Andrew David MacDonald
BOOK CLUB
($25, SIMON & SCHUSTER)
Every month,
we recommend a new what it’s about: The novel is an exhila-
must-read book. Here’s rating portal into the mind of Zelda,
what you need to know. a 21-year-old woman with fetal alcohol
spectrum disorder. Zelda also has a
BY Emily Landau craze for all things Viking and shapes
her personal rules and philosophies
112 march 2020 around rigid Nordic morality: heroes are
Vikings and villains are Grendels. (She
even carries around a Viking sword.) In
the real world, she lives in the care of her
protective-yet-thuggish older brother,
Gert, who has secretly dipped into
some not-so-heroic criminal behaviour
to keep the family from going broke.

In a way, MacDonald’s book is a
classic coming-of-age story, chronicling
that intense transition from innocence
to experience as Zelda negotiates her
first foray into the workplace, her desire
to sleep with her boyfriend and how to
live independently despite her special
needs. What makes the book so fresh is
Zelda’s distinctive point of view—she’s
starting from a different neurological
launch point than most young literary
heroes, which makes her odyssey from
adolescence to adulthood all the more
surprising. She’s innocent about the
things that other kids have figured out,
and sees the truth behind the things
they haven’t.

why you’ll love it: Everything bracing
and brilliant about this novel comes

reader’s digest

ISTOCK.COM/NNEHRING back to Zelda, who stands alongside SOME CURIOUS FACTS
five-year-old Jack from Room and ABOUT VIKINGS
Christopher from The Curious Incident
of the Dog in the Nighttime as among ✦ Viking explorers beat Christopher
the most memorable and unconven- Columbus to North America by some
tional narrators in contemporary fic- 500 years, establishing a temporary
tion. She’s so genuine, foul-mouthed, settlement in what’s now L’Anse aux
direct and guileless that you almost Meadows, Newfoundland.
expect to reach through the pages and
find a flesh-and-blood person. ✦ In 2017, archaeologists, using
genomic sequencing, realized that the
And because she’s neurodiverse, she warrior in a 10th Century Viking tomb
has the uncanny ability to dismantle wasn’t a man, as assumed, but a
the complex social cues we take for woman—and, indeed, she had been
granted—around sex, gender, and a prominent military leader.
especially violence—leaving us won-
dering why they exist in the first place. ✦ Many Vikings-themed festivals are
She’s grounded by her relationship with being held every year in towns across
her brother, Gert, who loves Zelda pow- North America, like the 58th wintertime
erfully but occasionally shows flashes Ullr Fest in Breckenridge, Colorado.
of impatience and resentment over the
unsavoury decisions he’s had to make JOIN THE CONVERSATION
as her caregiver. Her discovery that Gert
is not the pristine hero she imagined is Visit facebook.com/readersdigestcanada
a wrenching master class in empathy to share your experience of reading When
and moral ambiguity: real life is messier We Were Vikings with fellow Reader’s
than Viking lore would have us believe. Digest Book Clubbers. Comment on plot
twists, speculate on who should play
who wrote it: The Edmonton-born Zelda in the (forthcoming?) movie and
MacDonald was a self-described jock post photos of yourself in a Viking cos-
who took up writing as a teen to impress tume (sure, why not!).
a girl. After winning awards for his short
stories, he decided to focus his first
novel on the relationship between a
young woman and her brother-slash-
caregiver—and it’s inspired by Mac-
Donald’s own experience taking care of
a developmentally challenged family
member when he was in his 20s.

rd.ca 113

reader’s digest

BRAINTEASERS

Match Play 3
Moderately difficult This grid 3
contains matches of different 3
sizes, any of which may be 4
completely unburned, partially 6
burned or completely burned. 5
Matches burn from the head 3
(the red end) to the tail without 5433543
skipping segments. The num-
bers outside the grid indicate
the number of burned seg-
ments in the corresponding
row or column. Can you shade
in the burned segments to
“match” the numbers?

Four in a Row (MATCH PLAY) FRASER SIMPSON; (FOUR IN A ROW) DARREN RIGBY
Easy In this bird’s-eye view, each
of the nested squares represents
a stack of four blocks, with
smaller ones sitting on top of
larger ones. Can you find a line
of four blocks in a row that are
the same colour? You can search
in three dimensions, meaning
that not all four blocks are neces-
sarily sitting at the same height;
they could instead be forming a
diagonal line by spanning adja-
cent heights on the same row,
column or long diagonal.

114 march 2020

Sort It Out
Difficult The eight pictures below have been sorted into two groups according to
a rule. Part of this rule is that in group A’s pictures, the dots are arranged clockwise,
whereas in group B, they’re arranged counterclockwise.

AB

Which group should
this picture be
sorted into?

(SORT IT OUT) DARREN RIGBY; (CRISS-CROSS MATH AND MATHELOGICAL) FRASER SIMPSON + - =5 Criss-Cross Math
×-÷ Moderately difficult Place the digits from 1 to 9 into the
nine empty cells so that each of the three rows and three
+ ÷ =2 columns form correct equations. Use all nine digits with-
÷-÷ out repeating any of them. All calculations involve only
positive whole numbers and should be performed from
- - =6 left to right or top to bottom, ignoring the mathematical
=2 =1 =1 order of operations (PEMDAS).

Mathelogical
Difficult Each letter in the table stands for one of the whole numbers from 1 through
9. No two of them represent the same number. With the help of the clues, can you
figure out which letter stands for what?

Clues: AB CD E F GH J
1. F × J = The two-digit number HJ
2. G × E = The two-digit number DE
3. A × A = D
4. B + E = C

For answers, turn to PAGE 119

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reader’s digest

TRIVIA

BY Paul Paquet

1. Arancini is an Italian 7. Which country, other 12. Which Toni Morrison
delicacy. Its name means than Switzerland, uses novel is about a character
“little orange” but it’s the Swiss franc? with the unusual name
actually made mostly Milkman Dead III?
of what? 8. Which is the southern-
most country in the Euro- 13. In 1901, Guglielmo
2. Among land animals, pean Union with no Medi- Marconi received the first
what species has the terranean coastline? transatlantic wireless
largest eyes? signal from atop Signal
9. What comedy became Hill in which city?
3. Humphrey Bogart won the first film directed by a
his only Oscar for what woman to gross over $100 14. So far, which con-
motion picture? million at the box office? tinent has hosted the
Olympics the most times?
4. Which Disney princess 10. Who is currently
had two stepsisters, known as FLOTUS?
Anastasia and Drizella?

5. What historic figure
was assassinated near the
Miljacka River in 1914?

6. Which member of 11. Which of Sri Lanka’s 15. Short for Baidu, ISTOCK.COM/PEPIFOTO
boxing’s “Fabulous Four” official languages also Alibaba and Tencent, the
was the only one who has official status in acronym BAT refers to
defeated each of the other Singapore and parts the dominant tech com-
three at least once? of India? panies in which country?

Answers: 1. Rice. 2. The ostrich (Struthio camelus). 3. The African Queen. 4. Cinderella. 5. Franz
Ferdinand. 6. Sugar Ray Leonard. 7. Liechtenstein. 8. Portugal. 9. Big (1988), directed by Penny
Marshall. 10. Melania Trump. (FLOTUS stands for “first lady of the United States.”) 11. Tamil.
12. Song of Solomon. 13. St. John’s, Newfoundland. 14. Europe. 15. China.

116 march 2020

WORD POWER

Take to the skies without leaving 10. ceiling—
your chair by exploring these terms A: overhead controls for
air vents and lighting.
from the world of aviation. B: business-class area.
C: maximum altitude of
an aircraft.

BY Louise Nadeau AND Samantha Rideout 11. buzz-saw noise—
sound of A: a helicopter
1. combi— stunts done for sport or rotor. B: radio static.
A: able to carry both entertainment. C: a supersonic fan.
passengers and cargo.
B: series of connecting 6. bird control— 12. wind shear—
flights. C: cleaning crew. A: steering a light aircraft. A: wind pressure on the
B: keeping birds away tail. B: wind-related wear
2. Hobbs meter—device from the airport. and tear. C: sudden
that can measure A: how C: checking passports. change in wind speed
long an aircraft is in use. and direction.
B: distance to the ground. 7. instrument flight
C: sideways drift. rules—regulations for 13. aeromodelling—
A: maintaining cockpit A: designing flight-
3. incerfa—situation of instruments. B: relying attendant uniforms.
A: alert. B: distress. on instruments instead B: building and flying
C: uncertainty. of visual references. model aircraft. C: using
C: crossing an ocean. a flight simulator.
4. taxi—A: get a last-
minute seat. B: tax 8. ditch—A: accidentally 14. stall—A: airline
imposed on goods cross- leak sewage. B: make a employee’s locker.
ing borders. C: move forced landing on water. B: loss of lift and
along the ground. C: misplace luggage. consequent fall.
C: interrupted takeoff.
5. avionics— 9. overbook—A: accept
A: electronic equipment too many reservations. 15. deplane—A: forego
fitted in an aircraft. B: air B: fly too fast. C: review air travel in favour of
ambulances. C: airplane a pilot logbook. greener alternatives.
B: face a fear of flying.
C: leave an aircraft.

rd.ca 117

reader’s digest

WORD POWER airport; as, Playing 12. wind shear—
ANSWERS recordings of avian dis- C: sudden change in
tress calls is a proven wind speed and direc-
bird-control strategy. tion; as, Wind shear is
dangerous for planes.
1. combi—A: able to 7. instrument flight
carry both passengers rules—B: regulations for 13. aeromodelling—
and cargo; as, A combi relying on instruments B: building and flying
plane dropped off mail, instead of visual refer- model aircraft; as, Aero-
two tourists and supplies ences; as, Pilots must fly modelling clubs have fields
for the village store. under instrument flight where enthusiasts can try
rules when the weather out their creations.
2. Hobbs meter— makes it hard to see.
A: device that can meas- 14. stall—B: loss of lift
ure how long an aircraft is 8. ditch—B: make a and consequent fall; as,
in use; as, Uri watched the forced landing on water; Nabila paid close atten-
Hobbs meter, not wanting as, Arthur, a miltary flying tion when her flight
to pay for more than two ace, had once survived instructor explained how
hours of plane rental. ditching in the Pacific. to recover from a stall.

3. incerfa—C: situation 9. overbook—A: accept 15. deplane—C: leave an
of uncertainty; as, An too many reservations; aircraft; as, After deplan-
incerfa can be declared if a as, Airlines deliberately ing, Makayla realized she’d
flight loses radio contact overbook flights because left her wallet behind.
with air-traffic control. typically, some passen-
gers don’t show up. CROSSWORD
4. taxi—C: move along ANSWERS
the ground; as, At last, the 10. ceiling—C: max-
delayed airliner taxied imum altitude of an air- FROM PAGE 120
away from the terminal. craft; as, U-2 spy planes
have such a high ceiling POS E SUPRAS
5. avionics—A: elec- that their pilots wear
tronic equipment fitted in pressure suits. SUED PR I ORY
an aircraft; as, Zhiyuan
was an avionics engineer 11. buzz-saw noise— A T R A F F I C J AM
interested in improving C: sound of a supersonic
autopilot technology. fan; as, Rémy’s baby, L L AMA COB S
asleep when he boarded
6. bird control—B: keep- the jet, was soon awak- MA P I NCH
ing birds away from the ened by buzz-saw noise.
WH E N Y O U R E

I T EM I MP

PEEL F A VOR

ALREADY LAT E

P AME L A O L E G

A L AN I S E S SO

118 march 2020

BRAINTEASERS SUDOKU
ANSWERS

FROM PAGE 114 BY Jeff Widderich

Match Play 3 19 7
5 48
3 7
3 15 6
3 84
4
6
5
3
5433543

Four in a Row

Sort It Out 94 65
(SPVQ "
XIFSF UIF EPUT 8 7
GPMMPX UIF PSEFS PG UIF 6
DPMPVST PG UIF SBJOCPX 42
SFE
PSBOHF
ZFMMPX
6 94 2
HSFFO
CMVF
WJPMFU
JO
B DMPDLXJTF EJSFDUJPO To Solve This Puzzle SOLUTION

Criss-Cross Math Put a number from 1 to 9 in 361958724
each empty square so that: 952764183
6 + 7 - 8 =5 478123596
×-÷ ) every horizontal row and 613592847
3 + 5 ÷ 4 =2 vertical column contains all 285417639
÷-÷ nine numbers (1-9) without 794386251
9 - 1 - 2 =6 repeating any of them; 829641375
=2 =1 =1 147235968
) each of the outlined 3 x 3 536879412
Mathelogical boxes has all nine numbers,
none repeated.
AB CD E F GH J
219487635

rd.ca 119

reader’s digest

CROSSWORD

Isn’t It Ironic?

BY Derek Bowman 38 “Ironic” singer Morissette
39 Irving alternative
1 234 5 6 7 8 9 10
DOWN
11 12 1 Biblical song
2 Fugitive
13 14 3 Angelic figure
4 Cheese with a red rind
15 16 5 Letters on beach bottles
6 Spoon-bending Geller
17 18 19 20 7 Machu ___ (Inca site)
8 Red, in Costa Rica
21 22 23 24 9 United ___ Emirates

25 26 27 10 Sylvia who played
the Queen Mother
28 29 30 31 32 in The Queen

33 34 35 14 Difficult to see, as a star
19 Scientist/TV host Bill
36 37 20 Quite snug
22 First female space-
38 39
shuttle commander
ACROSS 21 “Ironic” line: part 2 Collins
1 Sit for an artist 25 Dating couple 23 Fierce competitors
5 Sporty Toyotas 26 Troublemaker 24 Hams it up
28 Banana discard 27 Pasta-sauce brand
11 Took to court 31 Kind act, south of 28 Bearded, red-capped
12 ___ of Sion (group in Smurf
the border 29 Israeli airline
The Da Vinci Code) 33 “Ironic” line: part 3 30 Franklin who sang
13 “Ironic” line: part 1 36 Wallin, Melroy or “Piece of My Heart”
15 Woolly-haired grazer 32 Natural soother
16 Corn throwaways Anderson 34 Mahershala of
17 Atlas feature 37 Cassini who designed Green Book
18 Crawl slowly (along) 35 ___ Boot
for Jackie O (submarine film)
120 march 2020
For answers, turn to PAGE 118

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