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.645, 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.644 is Connie Moriarty, Killarney, Co. Kerry. Across 1 Singer swallows American parking ticket (Two words) 5 Odd way with line of products 9 Listen out, catching key pattern 10 A French poet starts as a big shot in baseball (Two words) 12 Yours truly getting a large lunch, say 13 Weak and delicate, making fellow complain 14 Short of the facts? 15 Lively mole grabs badger’s tail 17 Mark gets terribly cool around noon 19 Marched around the building 21 Sibling allowed to pursue journey 22 Get expert a remedy 23 Communist recording of excessive bureaucracy (Two words) 24 Maintain suitable exercises (Two words)

Down

2 Defence group with neckwear to loosen 3 Fine location, somewhere on the pitch (Two words) 4 Poles giving one very loud hint 6 The first turn as an online menace 7 Yanks on copper pipe, beginning sailing event (Two words) 8 Nonsense about rector being abrupt 11 Auction includes British fur 16 Mash, unadulterated by end of sausage 17 Competitive fellow acquires edge, initially 18 Snoop around – head of resources is Scandinavian 20 Caught soldier carrying gold dog