BARE BONES

WIN A COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY AND THESAURUS SET, AND A BRADFORD’S CROSSWORD SOLVER’S DICTIONARY

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 fourway 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 English Dictionary and Thesaurus set, and a Bradford’s Crossword Solver’s Dictionary. Send your solution to: Bare Bones Puzzle No 944, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, May 22 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on June 7 from the first correct entry drawn. Winner of Bare Bones No 941: Phil Ledington, of Gosport, Hampshire.

Across

1 Eccentric person provides a message 4 Left during lucrative period to flourish 7 Reticent artist conceals a pastry item 9 Glen sees European boy coming back 10 Disagreement at home after outdoor exercise (Two words, hyphenated) 11 Lake surrounded by total shanty town 12 Diminish some of Kyle’s sensitivities 13 Label not showing initial heart 14 Sound that’s not meandering, say 18 Show resentment at controlling mechanism 20 Reporter has a bad cough 21 The first one acquired new weight 22 Generous daughter is backing family 23 Bishop tempted to eject journalist in confusion 24 Greeting gets socialist engaged 25 Bristle with squad, by the sound of it

Down

2 First character donated a plant 3 Sounds expensive, hunter getting a hat 4 Stop taking gold back for aristocrat 5 Admit old wife has overturned joke (Two words) 6 Painter encountered having no rum inside 7 Try out insect in summer sport (Two words) 8 Cosmetic is a shade foreign 15 Series is the first to complain 16 Short person is titan’s first irritation 17 Victor misses front part of target 18 Crook to include large mixture 19 Point toboggan outside in sudden movement