NY Times Crossword
November 19, 2014
Jacob Stulberg

The name, word, and phrase below all answer the clue WORDS OF CERTAINTY. That is, something about the clues prompts an expression that contains words which suggest certainty.What are the words, and can you see the connection?

NORA EPHRON
NOMINATION
NON PRESCRIPTION

HINT:
It has to do with the beginning and ending letters of each clue.

Answer:

The words of certainty are NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT.  The connection is that each clue has NO at the beginning and ON at the end - which is NO - in two ways - "about"  (encircling) the intervening letters.