HAMLET'S THING
Credit: LA Times Crossword
Sylvia Bursztyn and Barry Tunick  (#1-7)

The answers to the clues below will have something in common:

1. Stalling
2. Come on to
3. Bet at Belmont
4. Live dangerously
5. Often misquoted line form Casablanca
6. What makes Jack dull
7. Fill a subordinate roll
8. Dramatist
9. Baby jail
10. Manipulate a situation to get what you want
11. Be truant
12. It should be level to be fair
13. Detailed game coverage
14. Theater freebie
15. Fall for a scam or trick
16. Unfold, as events
17. Minimize, defuse
18. Co-operate, often reluctantly

Answers:

1. Playing for time
2. Make a play for
3. Play the ponies
4. Play with fire
5. Play it again, Sam
6. All work and no play
7. Play second fiddle
8. Playwright
9. Playpen
10. Play both ends against the middle
11. Play hooky
12. Playing field
13. Play-by-play
14. Playbill
15. Play into someone's hands
16. Play out
17. Play down
18. Play along