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.

Across

5 Journalist noticed something cutting edge 8 Chap, concerning ears, is unemotional 11 Not acceptable in Southampton 12 Two fellows from eastern Europe 13 Turn Foreign Office into something alien (Initials) 14 Singer following a little bit 15 Throw some beef 20 Kitty making the highest return 21 Roundabout is at an angle 22 Thinking about something to write with 23 A lyric about carbon – something synthetic 24 Article – not my composition – has the opposite meaning

Down

1 Film some spirit, holding nothing 2 Second desire is impressively smart 3 Note bad conditions for thinker 4 Boy has caught one to become heir 6 Matter of convenience for animal and its offspring (Two words) 7 Suddenly became wealthy, finding lorry in terrain (Two words) 9 Performance trial for judges? (Two words) 10 Time Jack got an ointment that demands a hyphenated) decision (Two words, 16 Address an audience in second summit 17 Take to someone – we can hear that 18 Crouch, being dumpy 19 Takes top off and reads quickly

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 1042, The Mail on Sunday, PO Box 3451, Norwich NR7 7NR. Entries must arrive by Friday, April 8 (photocopies not accepted). The winner’s name will be published on April 24 from the first correct entry drawn. Winner of Bare Bones No 1039: Neville Bester, of Northwich, Cheshire.