BARE BONES

Our Bare Bones Crossword is unique because you have to complete the grid – numbers and squares – as well. We have inserted four black squares and four clue numbers to get you going. The crossword has a four-way symmetry: both top and bottom and left and right match, so you can fill in 12 more squares straight away. There is a prize of a Collins Pocket Thesaurus. Send your solution to: Bare Bones Puzzle No.606, The Irish Mail on Sunday, PO Box 5332, Cardiff Lane, Dublin 2. Entries must arrive by Friday (photocopies not accepted). The winner of Bare Bones No.605 is Michael Mernagh, Raheens, Carrigaline, Co. Cork.

Across

5 Mercy shown, but only a fraction 7 Moan about detectives coming back, wandering 9 Ultra conservative to hide out next to a road 11 Fundamental line drawn under London 12 Rely on fellow displaying rage to financial expert (Two words) 15 Composer with hesitation finds somewhere to put firearm 17 Organise late run, but not in gear 19 Reduce the French ship to a simple weapon 20 Musical creature caught with dodgy ticker

Down

1 Greek character, between copper and daughter, is a matchmaker 2 Reported manner – he’s got it coming 3 He’s quite dull, but has calibre 4 Duma leader gets tsar somewhere to sit 6 Share performance during genuine practice session 8 Actual gold at that time turned it cold 10 Object is reserved without last piece 11 Gun wastes last of ammunition, as a general rule 13 Public transport gets no new extra money 14 Donated chisel, finally, and hammer 16 The Spanish find the area around London different 18 Deserve to get terribly near