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 11 – ‘Aladdin’s magic helper’ – which yields the word ‘Genie’. This must sit in the centre of the line to preserve the symmetry.

ACROSS

1 Eye’s coloured part; Variety of piano; Dream, aspiration 3 Impossible to say 5 Learning 6 Basmati, eg; Slope joining two levels 7 Leather factory 8 Christmas show; Blunder 9 Straight away; Everything 10 Shrubby culinary herb; Beating of the heart 11 Aladdin’s magic helper 12 Bulbous root; Bleeper 13 Tack on; Tract of salt water 14 Is morally obliged (to); Earth’s outer layer 15 Lack of sound 16 Fine river sediment; Speak indistinctly 17 Put into effect 19 Support for change 21 Eyelid infection; Concerning the Sun; Conceal

DOWN

A Long-winded, tedious B Encircle; Worry C Astute; Jewish bread roll D Refuse to work; Thrilling feeling E Quality of sound; Rodents F Venetian boat; Inspire admiration G Handle, brandish H Eagle-like; Backward movement I Operatic songs J Final heat; Butcher’s axe K Sharp cry of a dog; Step L Harpooners’ boat; Dreadful smell M Month before May; Unsavoury broth N Smooth, lustrous fabric; Second-hand O Offender