THEME: first words of phrases relate to a nursery
GOOD ONES: Illicit exam aids {and theme} CRIBS
Circus chairman? TAMER
Cutting-edge brand? ATRA
Place for a date PALM [palm trees]
Bond-Bond link? JAMES ["Bond, James Bond"]
Beef, or a fish CARP
BTW: copycat APER [raise your hand if you ever saw this word outside a crossword]
Pays heed to HEARS [to heed is "listen";
hears suggests merely audio reception]
ENERO is never used in English and
PRIE would be all right if it were part of "prie-dieu" and not of a French idiom
RATING:
Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = Not much fun
