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.642, 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.641 is Billy Twomey, Kinsale, Co. Cork.
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Across
1 Common indoor perennial with eight legs? (Two words) 9 Sunrise depicted without first of rays 10 Silent performance without intro in bay 11 The first to embrace a hooligan 12 Food book is after a citrus fruit 13 Friend has a scan into secret writing 14 Prisoner finds grotto that’s hollowed out 17 Figure time is included in law
21 Follower has left a quiche 22 Swimming in her river in Europe 23 Like a family 24 His leg treatment calls for a Christmassy sound (Two words)
Down
2 Hat converted a clan to a boating connection (Two words) 3 Condescend to a Scandinavian, by the sound of it 4 Brilliant, having a stream 5 Legless, headless, providing a game of chance
6 Character on trial meandering country path (Two words) 7 Cry at a dinner dance, audibly 8 Regretted getting impolite report 15 Dog left to have a lascivious look 16 Italian composer, aboard, never dined 18 Article with yours truly as subject 19 Stumble across something on journey 20 Search to conclude – not at home