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 10 – ‘Far from taut’ – which yields the word ‘Slack’. This must sit in the centre of the line to preserve the symmetry.

ACROSS

2 Add an autograph to

4 Grower of crops; Yarn from the

Angora goat

6 Extent from side to side;

Creamy toffee

8 Assist with pre-press work;

Particular form

10 Marquee; Far from taut; Necessity

12 Dwindle; Move stealthily along the

ground; Gateau

14 Bouncer; Ventilator grille

16 Arc of facial hair; Supreme

18 Bends; Feed up for market

20 Belonging to a large landmass

DOWN

B Wield once more; Anguish

C Compound occurring in petrol;

Add to, improve

D Have food; Go astray

E No longer in fashion; Walking in

time, like soldiers

G Mix with a spoon; Boarding house; Take up again; Cloth hauled up a boat’s mast

H Woodcutting tool

I Tot of whisky; Municipal; Number of legs on a tarantula; Substance which provides power

K Indecisive person; Strong

wish for food

L Earth’s closest star; Feline

M Weak in body; Excessively

N Summon up; Sovereigns