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 four-way 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 1137, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, February 9 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on February 25 from the first correct entry drawn. Winner of Bare Bones No 1134: Pete Brown, of Northampton, Northamptonshire.

Across

7 Spies have caught attorney – it’s a bug 8 Competition caused the French fever 11 Continental is able to follow fair translation 12 Where ingredients may be worried (Three words)

13 Not going back a great deal

15 Tense, finding father’s temperature

16 Main road is a nuisance

18 Plead for notes 21 Briton hesitation a conveyance has getting zero

22 Working late with the jumper, say

23 Intended to remove name from fund 24 Thirsty son left, yawning

Down

1 Tiny crop is comic, sadly 2 Walk for a month

3 Fellow isn’t commonly vague 4 Current scheme to go round is unattractive 5 Clan flourished around a waterway 6 Spread prohibitions about English food (Two words) 9 Instrument player finds it sharp, terribly 10 Arrogance brings fellow back after stolen goods 14 No wedding, having to be indebted

17 Amazes, showing exploits, taking time out 18 Set of instructions is concise

19 Indicator shows gold in egg shape

20 Woman accepts a peerage – top form