BARE BONES

Complete the grid – numbers and squares. 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. Answer next week.

Across

1 Eccentric person provides a message

4 Left during lucrative period to flourish

7 Reticent artist conceals a pastry item

9 Glen sees European boy coming back 10 Disagreement at home after outdoor exercise (Two words, hyphenated) 11 Lake surrounded by total shanty town 12 Diminish some of Kyle’s sensitivities 13 Label not showing initial heart

14 Sound that’s not meandering, say 18 Show resentment at controlling mechanism 20 Reporter has a bad cough 21 The first one acquired new weight

22 Generous daughter is backing family

23 Bishop tempted to eject journalist in confusion 24 Greeting gets socialist engaged

25 Bristle with squad, by the sound of it

Down

2 First character donated a plant

3 Sounds expensive, hunter getting a hat 4 Stop taking gold back for aristocrat 5 Admit old wife has overturned joke (Two words)

6 Painter encountered having no rum inside

7 Try out insect in summer sport (Two words) 8 Cosmetic is a shade foreign

15 Series is the first to complain

16 Short person is titan’s first irritation

17 Victor misses front part of target

18 Crook to include large mixture

19 Point toboggan outside in sudden movement