Wed., 7/8 Jack McInturff

[magus]

THEME:   first word of phrase can define MATCH
   
GOOD ONES:     
Smoker's superstitious no-no {& theme}   THREE ON A MATCH [and there are three long answers]   
One in a semi circle?   CBER [the semi is a truck, and truckers used CB radios, and circle here means group]   
1950's-70's TV heroine   LASSIE [I was thinking women, not dogs, and not male dogs which Lassie happened to be]   
Matter of fact   DATUM [not matter-of-fact]   
Ground breaker   HOE [not groundbreaker]   
   
   
BTW:   
Crossing ELROY and SPYRI at the Y is a bit unsporting as neither is a household name.   
   
   
RATING:   
Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = Not much fun   

[Thomps2525]

The origin of the superstition that lighting three cigarettes with one match will bring bad luck is explained in William Locke's 1916 novel The Wonderful Year: "It arises out of the Russian funeral ritual in which the three altar candles are lit by the same taper. To apply the same method of illumination to three worldly things like cigars or cigarettes is regarded as an act of impiety and hence as unlucky."

LASSIE was clued as "1950s-'70s TV heroine." The clue should have said "1950s-'90s." There was a 1989-91 syndicated series, The New Lassie, and Jon Provost, who played Timmy on Lassie from 1957 to 1964, appeared in several episodes. The Animal Planet channel aired a new Lassie series in 1997-98. As for being a "heroine," well, Lassie was a female on television but all the collies who portrayed Lassie were male.

[magus]

As for being a "heroine," well, Lassie was a female on television but all the collies who portrayed Lassie were male.

Repeating is not "Replying."  It behooves you to read first before adding your thoughts, cavalier as they may be.