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 969, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, November 13 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on November 29 from the first correct entry drawn.

Winner of Bare Bones No 966: Yvonne Blencowe, of Timperley, Greater Manchester.

Across

1 Something fishy in the air? (Two words) 9 Boy has right to get fat 10 Attempted to be put before a judge

11 Cut article removed from county

12 Loving call after a party 14 After a function, I hang about with an Asian 16 About to distrust defence

18 Savage note is late being delivered 21 German song wasn’t truthful

22 The first friend to agree 24 One editor’s requirement 25 Household earner is lucky at the baker’s

Down

2 Real trouble concealing lord’s last tree 3 Equipment acquired from obelisk itself 4 Managed to maintain current shower

5 Radical idea about cover

6 Drawing, removing first boat

7 I’ll decant cocktail in romantic setting

8 Minor tale about circus performer (Two words, hyphenated) 13 Arrest and prohibit from returning

15 Charge three notes 17 Penny playing role outside that’s not as recent

19 Anxious part of speech

20 Owls flying about, but not fast

22 Drink of character, by the sound of it 23 Desire for some money