BARE BONES

NO.619

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.619, 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.618 is Ailish Hunter, Skibbereen, Co. Cork.

Across

1 City hall initially had a community 4 Crazy advertisement rubs off when included 9 Deal in a certain amount of vehicles 12 His feet are on the ground and are damaging table 14 Very successful, lacking good shade 15 Consumed by public school, by the sound of it 16 Brewed lager fit for a monarch 17 Transport has real trouble in the country 18 Member of the peerage is magnanimous 20 Hard to love dilapidated, run-down place 22 About to have nothing but eggs 23 Great at organising a sporting event 25 Expression of disapproval concerning evidence 27 Managed ranch with old studio presenter 28 A lesson that’s without principle

Down

2 Expect a period of delay 3 Go downhill fast when it’s cold 5 A last word from the cricket 6 Regretting law having large omission 7 Bard rents out a rescue animal (Two words) 8 Yet there’s vitality in a painting (Two words) 10 Follower to hit part of the engine (Two words) 11 Church has a role to play in disease 12 Request again a wind instrument that’s missing a key 13 Mentions trendy gasfilled conveyance 19 Start being in a whirl 21 Flower found in the string section 24 Couple also on the radio 26 Feel modest about large growth