BARE BONES

WIN A COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY AND THESAURUS SET, AND A BRADFORD’S CROSSWORD SOLVER’S DICTIONARY

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 fourway 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 English Dictionary and Thesaurus set, and a Bradford’s Crossword Solver’s Dictionary. Send your solution to: Bare Bones Puzzle No 905, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, August 23 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on September 8 from the first correct entry drawn. Winner of Bare Bones No 902: Miss E. Jackson, of Nottingham.

ACROSS

1 Eccentric name for a way to start the car (Two words) 9 Follower breaking last tooth 10 Surface of Mars, say, never ends 11 Bishop gets fellow to sound like a donkey 12 Simple conveyance takes on terrible weather 14 Phone software wasn’t honest when put to practical use 16 Overweight friend is in a deadly way 18 Item for delivery shows coercion, with afterthought 21 Note from setter to doctor 22 Propulsion method that’s found in the head, we hear 24 Fruit that’s hard on the eyes, according to the ears 25 Actor’s problem – get RAF involved in spectacle (Two words)

DOWN

2 King finds eastern girl majestic 3 Enliven a performance with a short sleep 4 Laugh, getting cross after a practical joke 5 Originally called in one engineer 6 Slander, spreading bile about Liberal 7 Innocent-looking youngster gets confronted (Two words, hyphenated) 8 Opal tower designed for sport (Two words) 13 In addition, I left nothing 15 In favour of compromise 17 Regarding a boxing match 19 100 hurry to get a fruit juice 20 Knowledgeable fellow is in good shape 22 Wilt, as backing goes, initially 23 Flowers left, that is, on return