Crossword puzzle clue "word each theme entry ends with a synonym for"

Word each theme entry ends with a synonym for

Word that can follow the last word in each theme entry

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

Just making things up, or a synonym for a three-word phrase describing this puzzle's theme entries

Word that can precede each word of each starred answer

What each of the five theme entries ends with

There's one at the beginning of each theme entry