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 – ‘Argue a case in court’ – which yields the word ‘Plead’. This must sit in the centre of the line to preserve the symmetry.

ACROSS

1 Young goats; Picture edging; Wait

ominously

3 Government control of everything

5 Finely detailed

6 Lather; Smear

7 Sewing tools

8 Latin American dance; Rag, torment

9 Distance between train door and

platform; Lingerie item

10 Collect together; Meet, receive

11 Argue a case in court

12 Loop with a running knot; Highly

venomous snake

13 Affirmative answer; _ _ _ de

cologne, toilet water

14 Wash by immersing your body in

water; Unwieldy

15 Underestimate the worth of

16 Bodily organs that detect sound;

Dredge (up)

17 Swearword

19 Inoffensive

21 Literary word meaning ‘to tear’;

Beauty shop; Swirl round

DOWN

A Environmentally friendly

B Golf club; Middle leg joint

C Greek letter or river feature;

Riverbank mammal

D Specifies; Bottom of the ocean

E Keeps complaining; Watched

F Warship; Female sovereign

G Ends of the Earth

H Very large South American snake;

To do with your mother or father

I Hold responsible

J Territory such as Abu Dhabi or

Dubai; Mythical horse-like animal

K Antlered animal; Small block of ice

L Arrived by plane; Tax refund

M Old saying or proverb; Light

modelling wood

N Cunning tactic; Happy, pleased

O Do a roadside test for alcohol