THE SKELETON

CROSSWORD – £325 in prizes

There is a £100 prize for the first correct solution drawn; nine runners-up receive £25.

Send your completed crossword to the address shown in the box below left. In the skeleton crossword, the black squares and clue numbers have to be filled in as well as the words. Four black squares and four clue numbers have been inserted to give you a start. The black squares form a symmetrical pattern; the top half matches the bottom, and the two sides correspond. You can fill in 12 more squares at once to correspond with those given.

ACROSS

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Republican wanting support More hasty one not eating? A bird dog wanting its lead Country road going round a corner

Sound representation of an edge

Bother, some acolytes clutched fabric!

Female alien providing cover Carefree sort last to respond Queen oddly traditional in lord’s absence

Another eager to share a view

They’re grand stories either way

Graduate leaving bag with approved content...

...called direct by Ghana’s leader

Double down halfway past bird

Sinister presence back by a lake

Water in complete tankard finally drunk

Indistinct utterance reversing odds

DOWN

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After runs, runners founder Blast, one’s stern is rubbish! Concrete Andre always hides Iron Lady, a model thought Spook surviving head pains Brief period after final turnaround

Cook reading about returning soldier

Swimmer listened to a following too much

Remove some wrappers on time

An animal with two wagging tails

Number-cruncher given hot tea

Shown support, soldiers embraced

Perhaps “pass gas” encouraged (2 words) A snake put in here’s content A track bends, not having much beyond it

Copied answer dismays head after class

Object bumped into coming back from Italy