crossword puzzle

ACROSS

1 self-composure / aplomb 3 wipe out / delete 7 kind of poplar tree 12 Italian noodle 13 cunning / craftiness 14 furry, flesheating water mammals 15 give large gift / bequeath 16 jumbled letters

to read ‘ice' 17 coming after / at

another time 21 open 22 not tall / terse 24 hold in place /

attach 25 jumbled letters to read ‘rages' 27 reiterates / echoes 30 metric system surface measure 31 letter of the Greek alphabet 32 skillfully made / schemed 34 express emotion 38 caviar 39 wear away / gnaw 43 period in history 44 jumbled letters to read ‘snide' 46 ‘hail' 47 dish of vegetables and / or fruits / coleslaw 49 more mature 51 pebble / crag 52 brings up / nurtures 53 woman gossip 54 pop-overs / pastries 55 mid-day meal

DOWN

1 ‘The Philippines is the _ _ _ _ _ of the Orient Seas' 2 avid / enthusiastic 3 beginning of a new and important period in history 4 ‘ _ _ _ _ and proportion' 5 plant with purplish- blue / pink / white daisy-like flowers 6 French title given a female saint 8 furnishes heat/ light/ energy to the solar system 9 undomesticated Asian dog roaming in and around the villages 10 abscond / run away to marry 11 more recent / fresher 18 seems / comes into view or sight 19 fastening / deadlock 20 legislated / accomplished 22 backbone 23 hint / follow and seek 25 confidential statement / away from 26 hog 28 mistake 29 definite article 33 enemy 35 untidy / disordered 36 speak pompously 37 bird's claw 40 detecting device 41 obvious / unconcealed 42 jumbled letters to read ‘dress' 44 paragon / standard 45 not south 48 emmet 50 meadow