BLANKOUT

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 – ‘Escape from’ – which yields the word ‘Evade’. This must sit in the centre of the line to preserve the symmetry.

ACROSS

1 Corrosive liquid; Society dances; Brood, sulk 3 Disobedience

5 Tiredness

6 Unrestrained anger; Bark 7 Breakable

8 Allocation;

Shock, stun

9 Father; Distant

10 Matter of contention; Supple, flexible

11 Escape from

12 Artist’s tripod; Momentary slip

13 Tall vase; One’s inner self 14 Vote into office;

Garden entrances

15 Trade restriction

16 Golf pegs; Quartet

17 Very large shop

19 Quality of standing out 21 Provocative; Edit; Melodious bird

DOWN

A Necessity

B Garden stick; Military flute C Income before tax;

Soft brushed leather D Multiply by two; Lewd E Grow dim;

Medieval instrument F Person in a shop who’s just looking; Reddish-purple G Backless sofa H Boarding-house; Audio tape

I Soft buttery sweet J Gratifying to the body; Notched

K English nobleman; Company trademark L Disparate; Bulb tasting of liquorice

M Spot on; Concreted garden area

N Unsatisfactory;

Old Russian ruler

O Person formerly in office