The Hanns saw an itinerary in a Lovatts Puzzles and Crossword magazine saying the founders of Lovatts Publishing Group were coming to Forbes as part of their ‘Across and Down Under Puzzle Tour’ – a trip which has seen Christine and James Lovatt board a Motor Home and travel around rural and regional newsagencies meeting fans and holding workshops.

For Mr and Mrs Hanns, their affection for puzzles and crosswords began around 30 years ago, when Mrs Hanns worked for Myors Newsagency (formerly located in the Painted Daisies building).

Mrs Hanns said she used to buy Woman’s Day magazine and her husband would do the puzzles. His enjoyment of the puzzles was so great, Mrs Hanns says she remembers telling one of her friends if she ever got divorced it was because “Frank always has his head in the puzzles.”

“Once we saw Lovatts had their own books we started buying them,” Mrs Hanns said.

Since that time, Mr and Mrs Hanns have become subscribers and now receive four different puzzle magazines published by Lovatts.

“It’s very much like your part of a club,” Mrs Hanns said, “They make you feel like your part of it all.”

Mrs Hanns said she wanted to meet the Lovatts “because Christine seems so friendly and interesting and because I enjoy the puzzles so much.”

Mr and Mrs Hanns were invited to meet the Lovatts at a pre-arranged lunch-time barbecue at Geoff and Chris Drane’s.

The get together went so well it ran into the late afternoon.

“It was far better than what we imagined,” Mrs Hanns said, “we thought it would be a bit impersonal but it wasn’t.”

“I was a bit nervous but there was no need to be.

“We talked about the puzzles but also about our families. It was like we’d known her [Christine] for ages,” Mrs Hanns said.

“They’re just really lovely people.”

While in town, the Lovatts attended the Girls Night Out dinner and also participated in the Fun Run around lake.