crossword puzzle

ACROSS

1 smallest possible amount 4 on the sheltered side 7 senior 8 French for ‘wine’ 10 pa’s mate 11 Spanish title given a man 13 a woman’s shapely leg 15 companion / associate 16 aries 19 Chinese measure of distance 22 leave / depart 23 preposition 24 not down 26 comfort / relieve 28 cargo / burden 30 economize / pinch pennies 31 defective 32 preposition 34 ion 36 British for ‘thank you’ 37 rupees 38 preposition 40 Emergency Room 41 unit of weight / be very heavy 42 operated / ran 47 definite article 49 showers 51 commercial 53 an association of registered nurses in the Philippines 55 liberate 56 desire / crave

DOWN

1 doctrine / principle 2 completes ‘either’ 3 declare / affirm 4 shortly / soon 5 printer’s measure 6 the hearing organ 9 recite with prolonged sounds /chant 11 South America 12 anent 13 gaiety / merriment 14 three-toed sloth 17 symbol of the element silver 18 form / shape 20 forever 21 fortification / defense 23 scarf-like item of neck wear with broad ends worn looped to lie flat one over the other against the chest 25 bards 27 small poisonous snake 29 fuss 32 one / item 33 keep / hold on to 35 basic / no more than 39 not yes 40 expression 43 letter ‘R’ 44 back of the neck 45 bite persistently / wear away 46 pluralizing suffix 48 awkward lout / stupid person 50 newt 52 MD 54 preposition