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 City cat relaxes outside

5 Universal time in fluid

motion – true

9 Accepted standard

makes father right

10 Make excessive demands, obvious, getting a kiss

11 A grain of loathing

12 British reggae endlessly

performed for mendicant 13 Fellow in debt put

in custody

14 Costume like offal?

17 It’s one version at a particular location (Two words, hyphenated) 21 Garland from

fertile island

22 Drink and diamonds affected date

(Two words)

23 May return some food

24 Office worker has

Edward enticed

25 Invented religion, at heart

Down

1 Features impudence

by son

2 Join during emergency

3 Writer got eerie log

moved (Two words)

4 Contemptuous remark from Poles on English queen 5 Put off animal, with time 6 Played sextet’s game sent by phone (Two words)

7 Fellow with

worn-out expression

8 Overdue, chipping

front off tile

15 Dictator and doctor

switch expression

16 Surrender and profit

17 Choose one cold

drinks dispenser

18 Sample sweet

extremities at meeting 19 Tarnish key auction item 20 In the middle of

maid’s confusion