BARE BONES

NO.625

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.625, 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.624 is Sasha O’Sullivan, Conna, Co. Cork.

Across

7 Reportedly draw a low digit 8 Food for a couple of bishops in enclosure 10 US city gets cross when not sufficiently strict 11 Opposed to making a profit on the way 12 Trace out gold for artistic person 13 Small implement for making a seat 14 Cook hides one for boss 19 Gold trees’ layout is without frills 20 Socialist to tire of his anthem (Two words) 21 A sign from a galleon 22 Still, equally balanced and won over (Two words) 23 Heard no-one as devout as her

Down

1 Second squad shows old form of power 2 Fine to notice most likely place to score from (Two words) 3 A beat managed to calm down 4 Conifer left next to building 5 Fashion range, and where to hang it (Two words) 6 Apply file extension on the right 8 Swiss area to see new language 9 Cosmetic I follow in report (Two words) 15 Taxi with the French transmission system 16 Engineers in wager cap 17 Eccentric way to start an engine 18 Representative time with book