Crossword Clue Game

Thread Games
841
  1. Beetlejuice?
  2. A military honor no one wants, with Gold
  3. Hollywood sight
  4. Asterisk
842

The star of this round is:

@panache45 shoot away…

843

Thanks, FD. Let’s try:

HARD

844
  1. Like Saturday’s NYT’s crossword, usually
  2. Mike’s Lemonade
  3. A diamond is the most per Mohs
  4. A Rock Cafe
  5. One way to Die
845
  1. Rock simile
  2. Difficult
  3. With “y,” literary boys
846
  1. Like durum wheat
  2. No breeze
  3. Bop or rock
847
  1. Blue collar hat
  2. Herculean
  3. Fermented
  4. Austere
  5. TIme in the slammer?
848
  1. Type of times to fall on
  2. Cash category for dollars and coins
  3. Bargainer’s state of nose
849

Some really good ones. I’m going with:

850

Let’s try something different. 3 star puzzles usually have a theme where all the long clues are common phrases or names that have been altered according to the theme. I’m going to give an answer that’s an altered band name. You only need to provide one clue, but if you can think of more, have at it.

NINE INCH TAILS

851
  1. My 3/4 foot appendage really rocks?
852

Should be plural, right?

“My 3/4 foot appendages really rock?”

853

I like this idea.

  1. Trent Reznor’s doggy daycare business?

(This would be a companion to other themed clues with similar answers, like THE DAILY TAIL or HIGH SPEED TAIL, or something like that – I’m spitballing.)

Quick question: I’m pretty much a Will Shortz NYTimes nerd – what is a three-star puzzle? I assume that’s difficulty, but that’s out of how many stars? Are themers usually only in 3-star puzzles? It sounds like something that would typically be found on a Thursday (with the punnery), but themers are found any day of the week in NYT. You might find that on a Wednesday, too. And what crossword(s) use(s) the star convention?

854

I was basing it on Games magazine ratings, and 3 stars is considered the most challenging.

855
  1. They played at the animal shelter.
856

This one is tough!

  1. Kittens play with these.
857
  1. Some snakes less than a foot long have these.
858

I like this because it suggests an absurd scenario for which the solver has to reason through, like a murder mystery.

859

Thanks!

Next word:

LINCOLN

860
  1. The 6’4" president
  2. Logs to play with
  3. Precedes (twice) “Bo Bincoln” in song
  4. “What a luxury car should be”