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.575, 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.574 is Susan Reid, Springlawn, Co. Longford. Across 1 A ship is following church for outer framework 5 Mechanical right boot managed to get one caught 9 Fellow goes to ancient city to hide 10 At home, old behaviour is not precise 11 Heard no-one as devout as her 12 Wave, having lost second drinking vessel 13 Informant working at the bank 14 Risk money, having on new hat 17 Impetuous, getting woman a salad ingredient 21 Garland of buddleia 22 Remove significance from celestial event 23 Primate woven into tapestry 24 Large old attempt at intolerance 25 See it’s a variation that is most simple Down 1 Strike with part of the sleeve 2 Terribly eager to have the same opinion 3 Thin creature to remain within group (Two words) 4 Pears used as a weapon 5 Race round, with time to respond 6 After struggle, doctor points to khaki suit (Two words) 7 Get in trouble a little bit 8 Once put in order for an ice cream 15 Due round part of a large house 16 Distinguish your head on small screen 17 Pure chaos with eastern currency 18 Jiggle a small fish 19 Note politician is fluent but insincere 20 Wager has a pulse