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.607, 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.606 is Kathleen Hynes Farrant, Tubber, Co. Clare. Across 1 That is fair, to start with group 5 Notes advance a down payment 9 A fellow pursuing old fool 10 Foreign article about car, if translated 11 Catch sailor behind back of stern 12 Force tally to change with little emotion 13 Woman has clear problem with husband 14 Look for a very quiet listener 17 Mark is complacent about Germany and Spain 21 Don’t stand for a fib 22 At home with a drink, to sum up (Two words) 23 Won over, for the present 24 Recognise record by English navy 25 Get an alternative book – a different line Down 1 Setback as British get depressed 2 Leaving a student something to eat 3 Use a ruler to set a limit (Three words) 4 Every so many months, not starting before time 5 Set code with right furnishings 6 It takes a hit in times of terror (Two words) 7 Feeling that may be common 8 Overturn an objection to a brass instrument 15 Reporters insist 16 Rinse out tree ooze 17 Briton takes turn to make a search 18 Type of green construction 19 School initially went ahead getting winter transport 20 Points to a time to hit