BARE BONES

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 Pocket Thesaurus. Send your solution to: Bare Bones Puzzle No.543, The Irish Mail on Sunday, PO Box 5332, Cardiff Lane, Dublin 2. Entries must arrive by Friday (photocopies not accepted). The winner of Bare Bones No.542 is Anne C. Burns, Kilkee, Co. Clare.

Across

1 The beginning of the first book 5 Piece is copper, found inside wafer 9 Left a key for a boy 10 He runs for a living 11 Fitting to have a pint 12 Chap stumbled on old wife 13 School has superior sort of meal 14 Switzerland lies about an implement 17 Man has method to get room for manoeuvre 21 Same level within department 22 Cleric loses one of his buildings 23 Six have energy to compete 24 See clan going off to wash 25 Student of small choral composition

Down

1 Element that comes first 2 Uncovered with force of elbow 3 Unaffected fellow to find in a nursery rhyme (Two words) 4 Wines developed to produce strength 5 Fake coach has to go back 6 Costumes reach out for close examination (Two words, hyphenated) 7 America has time for employment 8 In France, you double the skirt 15 Husky, say, or another animal 16 Quick movement gets toboggan around pole 17 The position of a flower 18 Block terribly vain student 19 Technical details of his pectorals 20 Dread fare being reviewed