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 14 - Fasten, harden’ - which yields the word ‘Set’. This must sit in the centre of the line to preserve the symmetry.

ACROSS

2 Study of birds 4 Central glass-roofed hall; Worldwide 6 Student grant; Peaceful co-existence 8 High flat land; Always on the move 10 Pang; Dissertation; Aid illegally 12 Crop of allergy spots; US sweets; Shove 14 Way a person stands; Subject to no levies 16 Opposed to; Cause to happen 18 Very windy; Gun 20 Embroidery on canvas

DOWN

B Without tenants; Together (with) C Linger aimlessly; Performing on stage D Bathing vessel; Spicy E Point out; Alarmed G Particle of matter; ___ sincerely, formal letter ending; Capable; Cry out H Earth’s source of light I Musical composition for the voice; Reddish hair dye; Misgiving; Hose K Laser image; Aircraft’s spiral dive L Turkish leader; Pod vegetable M Power generator; Steady increase N Sound; Mesh kitchen utensil