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.617, 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.616 is Layla McNamara, Conna, Co. Cork.

Across

5 A garble formed by the use of equations 8 Story pursuing a fellow who’s easy to talk to 11 About to get bishop a ride home 12 Cat ran in to shake off some sugar 13 Cairo has an atmosphere 14 Set out to get journalist a horse 15 Whispered remark to a team 20 Honest about the quantity 21 Recovering last queen a lot of land 22 Some current pressure follows in the morning 23 After that, having hesitation being genuine 24 A gift, for now

Down

1 Businessmen start to chat about a consignment 2 Was in charge of a church and a farm 3 Large house is in Roman style 4 Tolerate daughter having some facial hair 6 Leave to gamble on diminutive new mediator (Two words, hyphenated) 7 Bird and dog get lad confused (Two words) 9 Fashion for nothing, having few restrictions 10 Reportedly fed up yet ready for chess, say (Two words) 16 Sack contains small source of encouragement 17 Head of gastronomy to rule out meagre fare 18 Grasping woman to go on about your top 19 Show contempt with European ill will