Lovatts Feb Big - Skeleton

Hi soph

The Skeleton requires a lot of patience and trial and error, but it is possible to complete same. I managed it and the answer I got was LIVESTOCK.

Good luck.

The Skeleton is driving me crazy but intend to keep pushing through. Don't like it much, but life is a challenge, so will rise to it.

Hello Dutchy & WendyLou,
Thank you for the answer, I will keep trying! This is the first one that I've attempted so I shouldn't be too hard on myself....just lots of practice and hopefully it will twig (I suppose it's just like the cryptics which took me a while to get the hang of!)
Thanks again.
Cheers
Soph

Hey sophc. I have just completed the skeleton and yes, the answer is livestock as Dutchy says. There are a couple of tips when doing this puzzle. Every grid as you know is symmetrical (opposites) i.e. if there is a black square in from the left at space number 5, you count in from the right at the bottom right and shade in the corresponding square. The grid has one line which doesn't match symetrically and that is the horizontal line in the middle of the puzzle. If you know an answer is correct, see if any of the letters run through the diagonal shaded lines in the mystery word answer square and put it in in pencil. Sometimes you can work out what the answer is likely to be and put the words in the diagonally drawn squares which helps with other clues. Always remember to put your shading in when shading in a square so that your grid is correct. Hope this helps for future puzzles of the skeleton variety.

@ Sophc. Excuse the typographicals....you know what I mean LOL Rushing too much.

The Skeleton is my very favourite puzzle.

As it is fully symmetrical the first step is to black out all squares corresponding to those shown. (eg if the top corner is blackened, all corners will be blackened)

Every time you find a word, remember to check that the space before the first letter and the space after the last letter are blackened. And again carry this through to all the corresponding spaces.

Check the numbers shown in the grid. Apart from giving you a clue where you are up to in the puzzle, they give you more opportunities for blackening spaces.
For instance, say there is a '15' in one of the squares. Is the clue given for 15a or 15d? If across, obviously the space before is blackened; if down, it will be the space above. By blackening the corresponding spaces all around the grid, you can often tell how many letters your answer will contain. If there is a 15a and a 15d, obviously you blacken both squares.

I always try to match 1a and 1d after filling in what black squares I can. Both words have to start with the same letter and contain the same number of letters.

Don't be scared of Skeletons! With a bit of practice they become a fun challenge. I don't use pencil and have had very little trouble with them. I could spend hours doing Skeletons, whereas I find Acrostics bore me silly!

Good luck with them!