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 983, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, February 19 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on March 7 from the first correct entry drawn. Winner of Bare Bones No 980: Stephen Kloppe, of Croydon.

Across

5 Warn a count about grasping current 7 Complaint by squad, not finishing drink (Two words) 9 Poet accepts vote, missing first post 11 Bert worried about a great deal in writing pad 12 Imagine reserve in children’s edition (Two words) 15 Excuse on behalf of present

17 Fought to have Republican shown mercy outside 19 Flower, a big one, wild 20 Parasite broke my pearl Down 1 Stick to prohibition outside 2 Vulgar person is a pig, by the sound of it 3 Students following notes for instrument 4 Dissuade daughter on tree cultivation

6 Addressing heartless couple in reprimand (Two words, hyphenated) 8 Suitable for rejection, exhausted (Three words) 10 Put out some medicine around university 11 Makes beer when injury is pronounced 13 Building a pickup van 14 Favourite queen and disciple 16 Grave injustice containing vital supplier 18 Ramp designed for infantile conveyance