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.

Across

1 Feel he may be guilty 5 Work backwards – it’s awkward in advance 7 Surpass open air event 10 He’s on the staff! 11 Learn layout of the kidneys 12 Done away with fellow – enough said (Two words) 13 Members get secret number in delivery (Two words) 15 File involved a long sentence 16 Dour general conceals desire 17 Socialist head shows colourful quality 21 The first ceremony is hardly original 22 Shop around, getting nothing for bands 23 Talented consuming a drink 24 Scoundrel has sensitive edges packed 25 Late start is a fabrication at home (Two words, hyphenated) 26 Pay to go round a city

Down

1 It makes spirits quiet 2 Show indifference to an outer garment 3 Finish directions to get daughter informed (Two words)

4 Number contains adequate symbol 5 Drunken soldier – tickly problem, lacking potassium 6 Society also travels to find insects 8 Moved orders out for royal symbol (Two words) 9 Leaving to add salt when there’s no sport (Two words) 14 Boy of resonance 17 Rushes to get some instruments 18 Attorney takes sheep to a play 19 Vote during the lecture 20 Rock is small and healthy

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 965, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, October 16 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on November 1 from the first correct entry drawn. Winner of Bare Bones No 962: Nick Collier, of Sandwich, Kent.