Creating an empty table cell

[wandern]

How can one create an empty cell in the first column of a table?

No number of spaces works.

Using a backslash ('') displays the backslash.

[a_wue]

Start each line in the table with a “|” (and optional: end it with a pipe also):

| This is a | Table
| – | –
| col1 | col2
| giraffe | tall
| | the first cell should be blank
| \ | the first cell should be blank
| The second cell is blank |

Result:

This is a	Table
col1	col2
giraffe	tall
	the first cell should be blank
\	the first cell should be blank
The second cell is blank

[wandern]

Thanks!

[ronzul]

Another idea is to use “<br/>” for the empty cell.

This is a	Table
col1	col2
giraffe	tall
<br/>	the first cell will render as blank
	the first cell is blank
\	the first cell should be blank
The second cell is blank

(The <br/> can also be used within a cell to specify a blank line)