BARE BONES
no.611
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.611, 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.610 is Ben law, Ladysbridge, Co. Cork.
Across
5 A firm gets one Irishman to return some pudding starch 7 Praise student with less lean exterior 10 New rendition includes a singer 11 By the side of a pine 12 Rings with greeting, in a state 13 Erratic movement heads for old herbivore 16 Shed tears at formal gathering, by the sound of it 17 America, say, overturning customary practice 18 Manner of walking to the entrance, so to speak 19 Is able to get volunteers, thanks to a bit of singing 20 Bird to root out large article
Down
1 Prohibition includes one registered as a youngster 2 Key inside petal-shaped bit of crockery (Two words) 3 Animal one saw running behind seat in grass (Two words) 4 Industrialist’s third mine churned out material 6 Woo old boxer, first seen at French Open (Two words) 8 Frivolous time goes a very long way (Two words) 9 Bouncer at party has Roman style 14 Stop a novice being run-of-the-mill 15 Prima donna finds new place to rest