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.595, 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.594 will be announced next week.

Across

5 31 days, getting no new order from ruler 7 House of Commons official has a part of hi-fi 10 Left old ship to have a bit of fun 11 Tree fruit can be a painful affliction 12 Chief sobs when ill-treated 13 Telly addict watches frame that has food on it (Two words) 16 Tie played with university, in case 17 A French one takes on a trade association 18 Surgeon has a strong inner drive 19 Moderately slow, also with neat adjustment 20 Person’s ancestry shows moral degeneracy

Down

1 Highly principled Frenchman has spoken 2 Public vacation on which you can rely (Two words) 3 Talk, having a drink and a chop (Two words) 4 Conversed about a bit of poetry 6 Ali formerly on bench that may be seen in the French Open (Two words) 8 Contrition of Eastern fool who’s in the money 9 Plod about, greeting northern swimmer 14 Daring feat to amaze the leader 15 In the past, city was in severe pain