NY Times Crossword
July 2, 2020
Yacob Yonas and Chad Horner

Below are four clues and their answers. The answers don't make sense until you apply a certain rule. That rule is hinted at by the answer to clue five. Can you figure this out?

1. Express one's view - COMMITMENT
2. Kick off - STAY ALERT
3. Sends - SUN CHIPS
4. Reacts to an amazing magic trick, say - GAS PRICES
5. Play hooky

Answer to Clue 5:

Skip school

Answers to Clues 1-4:

Each answer contains the name of a school:

1. comMITment
2. staY ALErt
3. sUN Chips (University of North Carolina)
4. gas pRICEs

If you "skip school" and drop the names of the schools, the answers make sense:

1. Express one' view - COMMENT
2. Kick off - START
3. Sends - SHIPS
4. Responds to an amazing magic trick - GASPS

Note: In the original puzzle, Clue 5 was "Emulate Ferris Bueller"

Bonus question from JA:

Can you think of a six-letter word in which the second, third, and fourth letters are the name of a school and, if you drop those letters, the remaining first, fifth, and sixth letters name another school?

(BIG) HINT:
Like some Fridays

Answer:

CASUAL: ASU - CAL (UC Berkeley)