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 1012, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, September 10 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on September 26 from the first correct entry drawn.

Winner of Bare Bones No 1009: Mrs Yvonne Vobes, of Stoke Gifford, South Gloucestershire.

Across

1 Adjust a tempo

to melody

4 Spread grease, eliminating a second departure

9 Musical trap for top stylist

12 Calm about award

going round

14 That woman’s in the right

15 Stationary item

for a sovereign

16 Trophy father pursued

for some tea

17 Singer organised brawl

with hesitation

18 Trust a woman

20 Encouraged terribly

rude note to be included 22 Pressure too

much in case

23 Behold your first

friend in a true way

25 Greek character

and Poles in trouble

27 Jacket right for the fire

28 Personnel almost joining

revolutionary nursery Down

2 Time and determination

to get material

3 Originally called in

one electrician

5 Youngster left keys first

6 Tread heavily on a sticker

7 Decline is accidental before autumn

(Two words) 8 Type of drawing creating a smell (Three words, hyphenated)

10 Warn about Harold

being a sea creature

11 Harp yet to improve

in treatment

12 Killjoy holding

Spanish article that’s performed first

13 Accumulates a

sea trip, say

19 Working idly,

left ideal spot

21 Mogul chased

around ravine

24 Shelter from sleet

26 For every

expert has it