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.554, 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.553 is Helen Nolan of Viewmount, Waterford. Across 1 Imaginative idea, an appealing escape (Three words) 10 Etch space next to place of burial 11 One way to get a gallery copy 12 The offence of losing 13 She ran off to get small controlling device 15 Settler set up a supporting framework 17 Bridge displays craft with no luxuries 21 Chief at home with German, getting title 25 Employ American engineer, initially 26 Rough terrain for a coach 27 Regular writer sorted out raid first 28 Receive written communication and understand (Three words)

Down 2 Large mixed drink 3 Note people that show elegance 4 Stressed about a woman’s lock 5 Fellow finds threads of yarn on a stone 6 Animated a veil in a clumsy way 7 Church painting is a map 8 Some sharing seen around network 9 Present during the recording 14 Odds on a spring 16 About to have nothing but eggs 17 Vision reported at location 18 Staring in surprise at a torn page 19 Principle that looks the same when reversed 20 Health worker has translated runes 21 Avoid question of garden barrier 22 Gather together a great deal 23 Topping of which I croon audibly 24 Internal organs show courage