Crossword puzzle clue "what's needed to complete each theme entry"

What's needed to complete each theme entry

Complete freedom ... and a hint to each half of the answer to each starred clue

"The Mary Tyler Moore Show" theme, or a hint to the start needed to complete 12 answers in this puzzle

Like each answer in this puzzle - also each word in each clue - in length

Theme answer count, amount of letters in each, word hidden in each, and, when repeated twice, today's date

There's one at the beginning of each theme entry

Word that can follow the last word in each theme entry

Word each theme entry ends with a synonym for