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 906, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, August 30 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on September 15 from the first correct entry drawn. Winner of Bare Bones No 903: Mrs Bett Bennett, of Bristol.

NAME ............................................................................................................................... .. ADDRESS ............................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................... ................ POSTCODE .................................... TELEPHONE...........................................................

ACROSS 7 Fatigued, rejecting both ends in anger 8 Coach has real problem in the country 10 Keep a record, including standard score 11 Sing about nothing, upsetting old thug 12 Pet, male, has its own language 13 Decree cited in a different way 14 A shilling and a pound for a mollusc 19 Game never ends – it’s a farce 20 Large dish, essential for a mobile phone 21 Feel remorse, the French way 22 Sailor, on his own, having some seafood 23 Recede from English bishops

DOWN 1 Insult didn’t start as frivolous 2 Highest ever figures pursued by musician (Two words) 3 Pressure swelling when fat 4 Support for a couple of birds 5 Duration being new to European competition (Two words) 6 Fetch missing conclusion to English solution 8 Cabal designed hot stuff as headgear 9 Ready with old-fashioned drawing implement (Two words) 15 Alarming situation makes school head worry 16 Savage fellow left after a long time 17 Kitchen utensil provides an exclusive story 18 Race to get gourmet’s last brie prepared