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 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 English Dictionary and Thesaurus set, and a Bradford’s Crossword Solver’s Dictionary. Send your solution to: Bare Bones Puzzle No 782, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, April 14 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on April 30 from the first correct entry drawn. Winner of Bare Bones No 779: Mrs Lesley Kernot, of Great Munden, Hertfordshire.

ACROSS

1 Force casual walker to get better 5 Chap leaves one city for another 9 Stuff gets back in to superior part of head 10 Melody and drama get radio exposure 12 Brooding about figure from Norse mythology 13 Decree cited in an inappropriate way 14 Part of the play? 15 Don’t answer, just go by 17 Determined to have a strong beer 19 And a bunch of classical musicians 21 Some proficiency with alien frying pan 22 Gamble having look round in brochure 23 The French remedy, having time to talk 24 Praise for being less rounded

DOWN

2 Corrosive substance has right to be pungent 3 Crazy – mine has left a dessert (Two words) 4 Give the slip to duel organised at the end 6 Robbery is the wrong way 7 Wonderful place to do all your shopping? 8 Communication from a mile off 11 Important to overturn intolerant person 16 Beer with new king in joint 17 Control the course of a farm animal 18 Ring about provider’s last internet pest 20 Riddle set in the kitchen?