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.553, 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.552 is Seán Dunne, Finglas, Dublin 11.

Across

5 Permitted to be within audible range, we hear 8 Deliberately ignore politician in later development 11 Scared to include method of transportation 12 Form of entertainment organised at three 13 Low-flying creature of the night 14 Frenchman in risk adjustment has unpleasant smile 15 As it happens, right next to an organ 20 Beam at a large fish 21 Old murderer has registered a wind instrument 22 Faced with an expert in his field 23 Hair gets lengthy – hundreds of yards 24 Determination to get lovers travelling to Spain

Down

1 Walk in formation for 31 days 2 Layabout relied on working without energy 3 Condition of New Hampshire, for example 4 Stomach alarm device at the start of the year 6 See Mary drool about public official (Two words) 7 Drink got onto shirt during game (Two words) 9 New Yorkers send cameras in for refurbishment 10 Hope to work with new demand for a ring (Two words) 16 Skin transplant is hard work 17 Roughly push a narrow boat 18 Rita managed to get a piece of jewellery 19 Fellow always has an abnormally high temperature