Rhymes with dope

'Which makes 17 across?'

'Rope!' sighed Horace.

'It is!' mooed Captain Bill. 'This is brilliant! I don't know why I didn't think of this before. It's sooooo much better than noughts and crosses.'

'But all the answers are the same.'

'So far!' replied Captain Bill. 'But we're only halfway through.'

'But it's your crossword,' said Horace. 'It's your crossword, in your magazine. You compiled it! You must know all the answers.'

'It was a while ago,' replied Captain Bill. 'There might be a surprise or two along the way. Now, 21 down...'

'It's rope!' said Horace.

'I've not even read the clue out yet!' exclaimed Captain Bill. '4 letters?'

'Rope!' muttered Horace.

'Rhymes with dope but with one of the letters replaced by an 'r'.'

'Rope!' said Horace.

'...........................................Could be?' replied Captain Bill.

'It is!' said Horace.

'I'll tell you what,' replied Captain Bill, 'I'll put it in lightly then we can always rub it out if it's wrong. Now we still need to do 7 down.'

'Rope!' said Horace.

'Wait please!' replied Captain Bill. 'Right, sounds like cope...'

'Rope!'

'But...'

'Rope!'

'With...'

'Rope!'

One of...'

'Rope!'

'The letters...'

'Rope!'

'Replaced by an...'

'Rope!'

''R'.'

'Is it rope?' asked Horace.

'.........................Might be,' replied Captain Bill.

'Could I please have the pencil back when we're finished?' asked Horace.

'Possibly,' replied Captain Bill.

But at that moment they were interrupted by the arrival of Lefty.

'Exercise time,' he said.

And Captain Bill fainted.