BLANK OUT

A crossword you construct yourself, adding the answers and the blanks as you go. The clues are in sets of one, two, three or four guiding you to one, two, three or four words in each line (across) or column (down) indicated at the beginning of each set of clues. Each complete word has a blank at its beginning and end (unless it’s at the edge of the grid). Blanks are arranged symmetrically. To help you, we’ve given you a start with the answer to the clue on Line 10 – ‘Bird that can talk’ – which yields the word ‘Mynah’. This must sit in the centre of the line to preserve the symmetry.

ACROSS

2 Cool artificially 4 Take apart (a seam); Bread shop 6 Dangerous trip in a stolen car; Greedy person 8 Wrap around; Member of an ambassador’s staff 10 Spoilt child; Bird that can talk; Traditional Highland weapon 12 Old folk tale; Private teacher; Playfully tease 14 Unnerved; Hot and sunny 16 Centre-forward; Lean and skinny 18 Offensive; Kept happy 20 Hygiene

DOWN

B Freeholder; Substance used in brewing and baking C Ill-tempered; Diminish D Take nourishment; Egg-laying fowl E Licensed; Purchase of one business by another G Weasel-like animal; Drain (off); Beneath; Make tunes with your voice H Almond or pecan, eg I Action word; Tropical fruit; Desert watering place; Opera solo K Unable to meet one’s debts; Pillager L Resource used in teaching; Blockage, usually in traffic M Confidential; Oil N Alternative; Shoot or sprout of a tree