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 Acidic cold meat generates insulting manner (Two words) 9 Threaten conflict to the north

10 Note flaccid, inflatable object 11 Disinterested Catholic rings student

12 Home after car set record

14 A lot of books showing sign next to railway 16 Repeat, angry, about the missing middle 18 Divert attention away from part of performance area 21 Medal for a percussionist?

22 Small animal, large glare

24 Collision is a sign of pregnancy 25 Fundamental to leave car in New York landmark (Two words) Down 2 Protrusion causes suspicion

3 Massage is the problem 4 Stumble on the journey 5 Hurry due to wind chill

6 Painful thing, getting wrong clue right 7 Redhead puts best vegetable first (Two words, hyphenated) 8 Sound fed up, willing to join snakes and ladders, say (Two words)

13 Old soldier is a doctor 15 I am putting pressure on rascal

17 Villain in Cairo, guessing 19 Brute cooked a potato 20 Thus get attorney something to drink 22 Relaxed during conversation

23 Clapped around circuit