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 932, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, February 28 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on March 15 from the first correct entry drawn.

Winner of Bare Bones No 929: Philip Sharpley, of London HP2.

Across

1 A religious sign made diagonally 4 They admit being the proprietors 9 Choose diamonds first, then mountaineering gear (Two words) 12 Investment system created by the ancient Egyptians 14 Originally called in one engineer 15 Still uncharitable, having some food 16 Current scheme to go round is unattractive 17 Charm learnt after a fashion going round hospital 18 Heath takes time to get a car 20 Panic that wakes you up 22 Encourage, say, joining head of geography 23 Caught last-mentioned noisy sound 25 I noticed in conversation it is an ugly thing 27 Revolutionary left out country in reprimand 28 Delayed turning up with aristocrat (Two words)

Down

2 Uncle Andrew has a wash 3 Like this, sounds ill 5 Cautious, having lost right path 6 Strange graduate has musical style 7 Filmed ice melting, and rodents (Two words) 8 Strange, less sensitive one, for example (Two words) 10 Be left at home with their chaos 11 Dress-maker and tinker ill, having temperature 12 Look to acquire time for nobility 13 Substitute agent with decorative material 19 Mock drinks in report 21 A dunce back to being unresponsive 24 Feel kind about animal 26 Second person to sound like a sheep