Issue 1 - January 2014

TECHISSUE

Yoga 2 laptop Review

TOP HINTS and TIPS for Windows 8

Complete our Winter crossword for the chance to WIN a free place on a training course

worth over £150*

W o r d P r e s s Training Course Proving Popular

CONTACT [ t ] 01392 824022 [ f ] 01392 824857[ e ] info@amesolutions.co.uk

www.amesolutions.co.uk

Sannerville Chase Exminster Exeter EX6 8AT

Tech Focus ..................................................................3

Product Review ........................................................4

Tech News ..................................................................5

Tech Tips .....................................................................6

Training Focus...........................................................7

Training Calendar ....................................................8

Company News ........................................................9

Competition ..................................................... 10-11

CONTENTS

Editorial Tel: 01392 824 022

Info@amesolutions.co.uk

Editor: Lauren Maddick

Technical Editor: Simon House

Company Editor: Steve Westaway

Contributing Editors: Rob Wright, Mark Thomas, Angela Scott

Photography: Rob Wright

COPYRIGHT © Advanced Media Engineering Limited Trading as AME Solutions. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or part without the permission of the publishers.

LIABILITY

While every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, we cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any consequence arising from it. Please note that all judgements have been made in the context of equipment available to us. Prices are based on UK prices at the time of review, which are subject to fl uctuation and are only applicable to the UK market.

FEATURESHow the winter weather can play havoc for businesses!

End of support for Windows XP and Offi ce 2003.

AME training schedule for quarter 1 2014.

Just for fun: Spot the diff erence and puzzle in a puzzle.

AME welcomes a new member of the technical team.

? TECH FOCUS

www.amesolutions.co.uk3

We are in the midst of the Winter season, leaving many employers to deal with problems regarding pay and absence.

The disruptions of bad weather at the beginning of 2013 that caused choas on the A38 and the “Big Freeze” in 2010 both highlighted the impact severe weather can have on the economic climate.

Research from insurance group RSA showed that up to a third of UK’s workforce were unable to get to work during the pandemonium that the weather caused in 2013.

However the latest technology available to businesses means this impact can be kept to a minimum. Just a few short years ago, mobile working was anything but straightforward. Unless employees were sat at Desktop PCs with a fi xed internet connection, there was no way to browse the internet, send emails or take advantage of any other online tools. Mobile broadband was limited in scope, range and capability - beyond accessing basic web pages from a mobile phone, there was little you could do.

Fast forward to 2013 and the picture is altogether diff erent. Advances in mobile network connectivity and in the devices used to connect to the internet mean it is now possible to perform almost any web-based task, on any connected device, in any location. The advent of 3G and 4G mobile broadband has freed up professional people to work productively on the move, replicating the Desktop PC experience on Laptops, smartphones and media tablets. With the advancement of new software, employees can even work from home as if they are in the offi ce.

So what are some of your options?

With Microsofts latest release of Offi ce 365, employees can access documents and edit them using the very same productivity tools that they would use in the offi ce. Offi ce 365 provides online versions of the Microsoft Offi ce suite so the software can be accessed from any machine that has an internet connection.

Image Source: BBC News

With the use of Skydrive, employees can save documents in the Cloud so they can be easily accessed from any machine and with shared access you can easily collaborate with other members of staff or even customers.

In addition to Offi ce 365, Microsoft’s email server software Exchange allows users to access emails from mobile devices or online via Outlook Web Access.

With centralised email hosted either online or locally you get the advantage of high-level security features. The server neutralises security threats and thus, the users are protected against viruses, spam and hackers. The emails are also protected against outside sources.

With the use of Microsoft Exchange server users can access their email from any location in the world. They can communicate irrespective of whether they are in an offi ce or on the go. Microsoft Exchange server is compatible with additional features such as voice mail storage, calendar, and contact organising application and scheduling. Microsoft Exchange uses the Microsoft Offi ce Outlook as its email platform.

Lastly Microsoft's Remote Desktop Services Software allows users to access a remote server to collect documents from the business' server or access their emails via Outlook from the Exchange Server. For example, you can sit at your home PC/laptop and connect to your work PC/laptop and use all of your apps, fi les and network resources as if you were sitting right in front of your work PC.

In the next issue we will look at IT Hardware - specifi cally Tablets that enable you to work on the move or remotely.

Lauren Maddick looks at how the winter

weather can play havoc for businesses.

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AME are proud to partner with Lenovo and welcome the introduction of the new Yoga 2 laptop/tablet hybrid.

We have been watching the hardware manufacturers develop products based on Microsoft’s Windows 8 software for over a year – the software allows for a touch experience, but this needed a change in the hardware format. Whilst touch on desktops is yet to take off , the manufacturers have been keen for touch not to be restricted to Smart Phones and Tablets.

The development of hybrid laptops has seen the Lenovo Twist (where the screen twists around to reveal the display facing up and fl at against the keyboard); the Samsung ATIV devices, Sony’s VAIO Fit and HP’s Slatebook and Spectres.

With the original Yoga launched in October 2012 the dual hinge and 4 format hybrid seems a bit of a novelty, but the Yoga has been well received in the market. Importantly, the Yoga 2 Pro has built on the benefi ts of the original and made some clear improvements.

Before we look at the device lets discuss why anyone would want a hybrid.

The simplest reason is that the software, specifi cally Windows 8 (and 8.1) have enabled touch to be a real world useable method of controlling a computer. There have been some teething problems and to date not all software has the ability to cross over to touch. The launch of applications (Apps) in the Windows Store and the ‘Metro’ tile interface make it easier to navigate and to use the software but this tends to be slimmed down version of software rather than the standard application you use every day.

Using touch has seen the growth of tablets and smart phones exponentially grow – 1 billion smart phones were sold last year, a 40% growth year on year; and 227 million tablets, a 58% growth year on year. Compared with 315 million (10% decline) PCs it is clear that the new format is very popular with consumers and businesses.

We will be talking about tablets in the next issue, but the Android and Apple devices have been relatively common in the business place – but only as companion devices, most users still have a workstation or laptop.

Lenovo’s Yoga 2 attempts to provide a business user with an ultra-portable fully business compliant device – it runs the full version of Windows 8.1 Pro, and can therefore join the network, access the server and run all full applications like Microsoft Offi ce, Sage, Adobe products etc. This is a tablet with few limitations – and a fully-fl edged ultra-portable laptop.

The Yoga 2 has a 13” display, weighs less than 1.4kg (only 60g heavier than Apple’s MacBook Air 13in); has the latest 4th Generation of Intel’s ‘Haswell’ processors which perform faster and use less battery power than their predecessors and has the option of Solid State Hard Drives which means no wait for start-up or for applications to open. The Yoga is strong, the base is solid and screen is well protected, whilst the keyboard is now backlit making it easier to use in low light.

So who is this device for?

Quite simply the business traveller – with the ability to open the device and work quickly as a normal laptop, then open further to prop up on a train or plane table in the tent form, or turn completely over as a tablet (the keyboard shuts off when the screen is turned over passed half way) in a meeting, conference or whilst standing the device allows the user to perform their duties in a multitude of environments – with less bulk and easier access than a standard laptop.

One major leap forward from Lenovo is the display. We at AME have always been a little disappointed by Lenovo’s screen resolutions, the majority at 1068x768. The Yoga 2 now sports a 3200 x 1800 screen with a massive 4.32 million extra pixels. This produces a very sharp and detailed image, although the colours can be a bit over powering, it gives the Windows 8.1 metro interface a very clear presentation.

It is not all positive though. Much like any new technology there are some elements which lag behind – using Offi ce will be fi ne, text is very clear and images are highly detailed, but some applications simply cannot provide the extra layer of detail – even Adobe products display such small icons the program becomes unusable. Unless you use these products though, and if you do I expect you will have a powerful workstation with a large display – then for the average business user and one who travels and wishes to use Offi ce and perhaps have some downtime with movies on the crisp display the Yoga 2 is a great choice.

The Yoga 2 is a neat device sporting a great screen, backlit keyboard and innovative (and practical) shape shifting format with good quality components. Prices start at £999 + VAT.

p

B f l k t th d i l t di h

PRODUCT REVIEW

www.amesolutions.co.uk4

Mark Thomas reviews the new Yoga 2 laptop

tablet from Lenovo.

Just last month, antivirus companies discovered a new ransomware known as Cryptolocker.

This ransomware is particularly nasty because infected users are in danger of losing their fi les forever. Spread through email attachments, this ransomware has been seen targeting companies through phishing attacks.

“ The Bad News is Decryption is impossible.”Cryptolocker will encrypt users’ fi les using asymmetric encryption, which requires both a public and private key. The public key is used to encrypt and verify data, while private key is for decryption, each the inverse of the other.

The BAD news

Decryption is impossible unless a user has the private key stored on the cybercriminals’ server. Currently, infected users are instructed to pay $300 USD to receive this private key. Infected users also have a time limit to send the payment. If this time elapses, the private key is destroyed, and your fi les may be lost forever.

Files targeted are those commonly found on most PCs today; a list of fi le extensions for targeted fi les include: 3fr, accdb, ai, arw, bay, cdr, cer, cr2, crt, crw, dbf, dcr, der, dng, doc, docm, docx, dwg, dxf, dxg, eps, erf, indd, jpe, jpg, kdc, mdb, mdf, mef, mrw, nef, nrw, odb, odm, odp, ods, odt, orf, p12, p7b, p7c, pdd, pef, pem, pfx, ppt, pptm, pptx, psd, pst, ptx, r3d, raf, raw, rtf, rw2, rwl, srf, srw, wb2, wpd, wps, xlk, xls, xlsb, xlsm, xlsx.

Cryptolocker is spread through emails which appear to be from various companies including UPS and FedEx and will include a .ZIP attachment – your PC will become infected and will then begin to encrypt your mapped server shared drives – when the encryption is complete a message will appear on the infected PC explaining about the ransom to be paid along with the countdown timer.

The fi rst time you may be made aware of the infection and encryption is when you go to open a document from your server and it will not open or displays an error message on opening.

AME can and have recovered from this infection numerous times in the past months which involves cleaning any infected PC’s and then restoring data from your backup – another reason to double check that your backups are complete and working OK. Feel free to call us if you would like any more information on the above and any other virus/malware issue.

Other News: End of Support for Windows XP and Offi ce 2003.

As you may or may not be aware all Microsoft support for Windows XP and Offi ce 2003 will stop on 8th April 2014.

This means that if you are still using Microsoft Windows XP or Offi ce 2003 you will no longer receive updates, including security updates, for these products.

In 2002 Microsoft introduced its Support Lifecycle policy based on customer feedback to have more transparency and predictability of support for Microsoft products. As per this policy, Microsoft products receive a minimum of 10 years of support (5 years Mainstream Support and 5 years Extended Support), at the supported service pack level.

Thus, Windows XP SP3 and Offi ce 2003 will go out of support in April 2014. Based on historical customer deployment data, the average enterprise deployment can take 18 to 32 months from business case through to full deployment. To ensure you remain on supported versions of Windows and Offi ce, you should begin your planning and application testing immediately to ensure you deploy before end of support.

Potential Business Implications

Without critical Windows XP security updates, your PC may become vulnerable to harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software which can steal or damage your business data and information.

With this news many software and hardware vendors will no longer support their products that are running on Windows XP either as they are unable to get the Windows XP and Offi ce 2003 updates. For example Anti-virus software will not be able to fully protect you once Windows XP itself is unsupported.

The risks of system failure and business disruption could increase because of the end of Microsoft support, lack of supported software, and the increasing age of hardware running Windows XP.

If you currently still operate hardware running Windows XP or Offi ce 2003 then please feel free to contact us and we can discuss how to move forward and what your available options are.

TECH NEWS

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5

Technical Editor Simon House looks at the

latest tech news and warns of the latest

ransomware hitting businesses.

With the ever increasing threat of new computer viruses it is vital that you take precautions to protect your computer.

There are over 10,000 computer viruses known all over the world with more than 200 new viruses being discovered each month. These fi gures highlight how vulnerable our computers are and how vital antivirus software is.

Protecting your computer from viruses and other threats isn't diffi cult, but you need to be diligent. Take a look at our hints and tips on how to reduce your vulnerability to these threats.

Install an antivirus program.

Installing an antivirus program and keeping it up to date can help defend your computer against viruses. Antivirus programs scan for viruses trying to get into your email, operating system, or fi les. New viruses appear daily, so set your antivirus software to install updates automatically.

Don't open email attachments unless you're expecting them.

Many viruses are attached to email messages and will spread as soon as you open the email attachment. It's best not to open any attachment unless it's something you're expecting.

Keep your computer updated.

Microsoft releases security updates that can help protect your computer. Make sure that Windows receives these updates by turning on Windows automatic updating.

Use a fi rewall.

Windows Firewall (or any other fi rewall) can help alert you to suspicious activity if a virus or worm attempts to connect to your computer. It can also block viruses, worms, and hackers from attempting to download potentially harmful programs to your computer.

Use your browser's privacy settings.

Being aware of how websites might use your private information is important to help prevent fraud and identity theft. If you're using Internet Explorer, you can adjust your Privacy settings or restore the default settings whenever you want.

Use a pop-up blocker with your browser.

Pop-up windows are small browser windows that appear on top of the website you're viewing. Although most are created by advertisers, they can also contain malicious or unsafe code. A pop-up blocker can prevent some or all of these windows from appearing.The Pop-up Blocker feature in Internet Explorer is turned on by default.

Turn on User Account Control (UAC).

When changes are going to be made to your computer that require administrator-level permission, UAC notifi es you and gives you the opportunity to approve the change. UAC can help keep viruses from making unwanted changes.

In our next edition of Tech Issue we will look at Microsoft Windows 8. With the new touch-orientated start menu and features Windows 8 can leave even the most expierienced users confused. Our hints and tips will help you fi nd your way around Windows 8.

TECH TIPS

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6

Rob Wright provides us with hints and tips to

help protect your computer from viruses.

“ More than 200 viruses

are discovered

each month. ”

6 months ago we started our WordPress Introduction courses which have proven to be very popular and we now have our 4th course scheduled for March.

There has been a lot of buzz around WordPress and over the years it has seen rapid growth in the web

development community. It is now the most popular Content Management System (CMS), with 22% of Websites powered by WordPress.

With this, we decided to bring WordPress onto our portfolio of training courses. Nevertheless, we didn't expect this course to be as popular as it is and have been very surprised by the amount of customers coming from large organisations as well as small.

" 2 2 % o f We b s i t e s p o w e r e d b y

Wo r d P r e s s . "BUT......What is WordPress? WordPress is a free, easy-to-use open-source online application that allows you to develop, update and manage your website.

Is WordPress really free?

When we say free, we mean free. All of the core fi les are free, there are 1000's of free and brilliant templates and plugins to download and install. There are some things that you can pay for if you wish, but when speaking to users who have

used WordPress for years to this day haven’t paid a penny and their websites lack nothing.

Is there a plugin for that?

One of the great things about WordPress is the ability to add plugins. Want a shopping cart on your website?, using the built in plugin search tool to fi nd what you require then click to install it. What about a blog, a planner or a calculator? Again, there will be plenty of plugins to choose from. The WordPress website hosts over 28,000 plugins and rising. You will be hard pushed to fi nd a subject matter for your WordPress site that doesn’t already have a plugin.

WordPress a Chameleon?

Another favourite aspect to WordPress is that it’s so easy to change functionality, design and layout without losing any content. You may have thousands of pages on your site, but one day you may decide to change the look and feel of it by moving to another template. Nothing changes other than the template itself. At the click on a mouse, your entire online image is renewed.

What about updates?

What use would a CMS be without updates? Useless I think. WordPress off ers regular updates for its core fi les and CMS. In addition to this, the authors of templates and plugins may also occasionally submit updates and general security improvements. Updates are very easily managed via the WordPress CMS, with alerts and one-click solutions.

Who uses WordPress?

You would be very surprised. WordPress is used by multi national Forbes companies. Sony, ebay, Samsung to name just a few.

WordPress Introduction Training Course.

Our 2-day WordPress Introduction training course is designed to provide delegates with knowledge of the fundamentals of using WordPress and all the key skills necessary to manage an active, search engine ready web site.

Delegates will learn how to install and confi gure WordPress, add and manage plugins, compose new posts and pages whilst understanding the best principles of good Search Engine Optimisation.

Our next WordPress training course is taking place on 3rd - 4th March at our training suite in Exminster, Exeter.

We can also customise our courses at locations that are more convenient for your company and staff , by delivering training onsite at your premises or a venue that suits you.

TRAINING FOCUS

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Angela Scott has been overwhelmed by the

popularity of our WordPress training course

that we have recently added to our portfolio.

TRAINING CALENDAR

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We off er hundreds of IT training courses, as well as non-IT training courses, suitable for individuals of all levels. Although we cannot list every course we carry out, below is our training calendar that lists some of the training courses coming up within the next few months.

We provide comprehensive and cost-eff ective training for companies, organisations and individuals looking to expand their skills in I.T, Project Management, Tendering, Accounts and more.

We off er courses for virtually every desktop application used in the world of business and features the latest titles in order to stay current with the ever-changing IT industry. Our qualifi ed instructors are highly experienced in their specialised fi elds, giving them the ability to pass on real world knowledge.

In conjunction with our structured courseware and practical exercises, delegates will take away the knowledge required to make the most of your business applications and systems.

We provide training at our head offi ce based in Exminster, with capacity of up to 10 delegates. We can also deliver training at other venues around the South West including Bristol and Plymouth. Courses can also be customised in order to be delivered onsite at your premises.

The courses listed below are scheduled training courses, which are held at our IT training suite in Exminster, Exeter.

What's Included

Courseware and Manuals

Each delegate receives a manual for use on the training course and to take away with them to refer to when back in the work place.

Certifi cate of Achievement

So that each delegate can update their profi les within their company and their personal CV, we provide every delegate that successfully attends and completes a training course with a signed certifi cate of achievement.

Refreshments and Lunch

There is complementary coff ee, tea, water, biscuits and sweets provided throughout the day. Delegates are treated to a wide choice of food, from The Devon Hotel Carriages restaurant for lunch including; Carvery, Sandwiches, Jacket Potatoes, Salads, Baguettes and more.

Free Parking

There is plenty of free parking spaces at our premises for delegates that are attending courses.

Wi-Fi Internet Access

During your breaks you may have access to Internet ready machines to either use to send emails or surf for fun!

AME TRAINING CALENDAR

Microsoft PowerPoint14th February

PRINCE 2 Practitioner28th April - 2nd May

Microsoft Excel Introduction 2007

23rd January

Internet and Social Media Introduction10th March

Microsoft Excel Intermediate 2007

3rd February

AutoCAD Introduction24th- 25th February

Microsoft Excel Advanced 200710th February

T-SQL Introduction27th February

Microsoft Project17th - 18th February

Adobe Photoshop Introduction5th - 6th February

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Programming

7th - 11th April

Microsoft Access Introduction22nd January

HTML Introduction13th - 14th January

Creating Web Pages with CSS15th - 16th January

WordPress Introduction3rd - 4th March

Google Introduction26th February

Internet and Social Media Advanced31st March

Microsoft Viso Introduction21st February

Adobe Illustrator20th - 21st March

Adobe InDesign Introduction20th - 21st January

Adobe Dreamweaver Introduction

11th - 12th February

AME Training Schedule for Quarter 1 2014

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In Autumn 2014, AME welcomed a new member

of the technical team.

In the Autumn of 2013 we were looking to expand our technical team to help with the demand of support calls and ensure that we continue to excel at meeting all of our support contract service levels agreements. It is our number one priority to meet our customers’ expectations and always provide an excellent service.

At AME we want to develop a motivated, skilled and qualifi ed workforce and mould our employees into our way of working, so in partnership with Exeter college we employed Jonathan ‘Jono’ Clark through the apprenticeship scheme.

Jono having already completed his fi rst year and level 1 at a local secondary school, working predominately on Apple Mac’s/ipads, was looking to further develop his skills and learn more about Microsoft Server and desktop software and has fi tted in perfectly. In just a few months Jono has gained a wealth of knowledge and is a very keen learner. Jono is studying for his fi rst Microsoft exam in administering Windows 8 and will look to complete the full MCITP qualifi cation from Microsoft over the next 2 years.

AME is now a Tier 2 Online Backup partner of ZEN

Internet.

Working alongside Zen Internet our online backup solutions provide powerful, reliable and secure off site data backup for businesses.

Whether through hardware failure, human error, fi re, theft or accidental damage, data loss can have catastrophic eff ect. Imagine the impact on

your business if you were to lose all your company accounts, sales records, correspondence, customer records and emails.

Our online data backup solutions provide you with the peace of mind that, in the event of data loss, your data is fully backed up and data recovery can be completed within minutes.

Packages are available to backup desktops, laptops and servers. Each package provides a fully automated and secure, off -site data backup and recovery solution which off er ‘set and forget data backup’ and rapid restore capability.

As a Tier 2 partner we are able to off er you discounts on the standard pricing and manage your backups for you.

For more information, please get in touch with our team who would be happy to provide you with guidance and advice on the best backup solution for your business.

AME continues to support Paignton Zoo & Living Coasts.

Through Paignton Zoo’s SOS corporate club, AME not only help protect endangered species, conserve natural habitats, but also contribute to the valuable education programme and give our employees the opportunity to attend Paignton Zoo and Living Coasts throughout the year with their families.

" We feel this is a great opportunity to work with a local organisation and provides also gives back to our valuable team of employees. "

For information on the SOS club, visit their website http://www.paigntonzoo.org.uk/get-involved/corporate -opportunities/sos-club.

COMPANY NEWS

www.amesolutions.co.uk9

Take a look at our latest company news, Steve

Westaway tells about the latest expansion at

AME.

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Just for Fun: Spot the diff erence

COMPETITION PAGE

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Can you spot the diff erences between these two photos?Take part in our spot the diff erence competition just for fun.

The goal is to fi nd a number of diff erences between two near identical images. There are a total of 5 diff erences between the two photos on this page........Can you spot them?

The answers are available on the next page.

Just for Fun: Puzzle in a Puzzle

Just for fun, take a look at our Puzzle in a Puzzle and see if you can solve it.

What are the next two letters in the following series and why?

W A T N T L I T F S _ _

*Hint: The answer is in the question

The answer will be in Issue 2 of Tech Issue.

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AME Crossword

COMPETITION PAGE

www.amesolutions.co.uk11

Across

1. Important traditional Chinese holiday known as the Spring Festival in China (7,3,4)

6. Traditional poem used to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight (4,4,4)

8. Precipitation in the form of small white crystals that form inside clouds (4)

10. Commonly known as “The Flu” (9)

11. A rapid fl ow of snow down a sloping surface (9)

12. A carnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle (5,4)

13. A standardised measure of how hot or cold it is outside (11)

16. Cold blooded (14)

17. The damage to skin and tissue caused by exposure to freezing temperatures (5,4)

19. The polar region located at the northernmost part of the Earth (6)

20. The scientifi c instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure (9)

Down

2. A type of shelter built of snow, originally built by the Inuit (5)

3. The perceived decrease in air temperature felt by the body on exposed skin due to the fl ow of cold air (4,5,6)

4. To pass the winter in a dormant or torpid state (9)

5. A severe snowstorm (8)

7. The month which is named after Janus, the god of the doorway (7)

9. The time at which the sun appears at noon at its lowest altitude above the horizon (6,8)

14. A popular winter sport (6)

15. A thin coating of glazed ice on a surface (5,3)

18. Used to express sensations of cold (3)

Take part in our Winter crossword for the chance to WIN a free place on one of our Microsoft Excel 1 day Training courses worth over £150.

We off er three diff erent levels to suit all abilities - Introduction, Intermediate and Advanced.

All you have to do is complete the crossword using the clues below and then take the letters from the golden squares on the crossword to create the prize winning word.

Prize Winning Word

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _To enter please send the prize winning word you have created from the Gold Squares to competition@amesolutions.co.uk.

Answers to our just for fun: spot the diff erence

2

www.facebook.com/amesolutions

https://twitter.com/AMESolutions

www.linkedin.com/company/ame-solutions

www.youtube.com/user/amesolutions

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