Reusing the word, "a"

[pleaselose]

I am in the middle of constructing a themeless crossword and three of my answers use the word "a" as a part of a phrase, specifically:

A Cheap Imitation
A Bug's Life
A Host

Should I assume that this is unacceptable and try to rework it before going further, or might something like this be accepted in the NYT (for example)?

Thanks!

[mmcbs]

I suspect A CHEAP IMITATION is a knockout. A HOST is problematic, not so much because of the repeated A (though that's not ideal IMO), but it's just a weak entry. So, yes, I'd get rid of both.

[Thomps2525]

As a crossword entry, A Bug's Life most certainly should include the A. Many song titles begin with the word A and, if they were used in a crossword, most of them should keep the A. The title of Frankie Avalon's A Boy Without A Girl might make sense without the A but you'd definitely have to include the A if you used Perry Como's A You're Adorable.

I've seen phrases beginning with THE in quite a few puzzles but I've never seen a crossword with "A" phrases. I think such a puzzle could be fun, provided you can come up with several phrases in which the A can not be dropped without changing the meaning.