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 1046, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, May 6 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on May 22 from the first correct entry drawn.

Winner of Bare Bones No 1043: David Forrest, of Consett, Durham.

Across

1 Made a scratch and gained a point

5 Wager everyone comes in to dance

10 Very appealing, layabout going round

11 Legal people with chickens outside

12 Whistle to give Philip energy

13 Loud note played outside, frequently

14 Couple to mend first couple to leave

15 Had us troubled about dirt

17 Piles into new shape

18 Does edit poems

22 Mere lad wearing jewel

23 Dealing with snack, having prolonged success (Three words)

24 First character turned Terry into a vital supplier

25 Hesitate to make key change

Down

2 Cold, swelling in thicket

3 Stagger to see a film

4 Repeatedly, as shown by calendar (Three words)

5 Speculator with alien evidence is impervious to harm

6 Student was breaking rules

7 Point name out for invasive procedure

8 Don’t waste time and impede car’s design (Two words)

9 Consequently like a solution (Three words)

16 The woman finds queen transparent

19 Took the car to Dover, unusually

20 Look at most of graceful animal

21 Global language around dinner dance