MARIA KONNIKOVA, (THE) BIGGEST BLUFF — Texas hold'em creates a... useful balance between skill and chance. Two hole cards is just about as practical a ratio as you can have: enough unknown to make the game a good simulation of life, but not... a total crapshoot.
| A. | Do the same as | MATCH |
| B. | Free of debt; bobbing on the surface | AFLOAT |
| C. | Uncrunched numbers (2 wds.) | RAWDATA |
| D. | Unique; set apart; remote | ISOLATED |
| E. | Join hands? (2 wds.) | ANTEUP |
| F. | Bingo-like gambling game, or, aptly, call letters for a radio station in Las Vegas | KENO |
| G. | Consequence, end result | OUTCOME |
| H. | 1955 Triple Crown winner but for a Derby loss to Swaps | NASHUA |
| I. | Any note in the key of C | NATURAL |
| J. | Colluding stealthily (2 wds.) | INCAHOOTS |
| K. | Community pool | KITTY |
| L. | Goal, purpose, aim; protest | OBJECT |
| M. | Setting for the original "CSI" series, in brief | VEGAS |
| N. | Unqualified | ABSOLUTE |
| O. | Landmark in Dodge City, Kan. (2 wds.) | BOOTHILL |
| P. | Irrational motive for acting | IMPULSE |
| Q. | Give rise to, spark, trigger | GENERATE |
| R. | License, thumbs-up, nod (hyph.) | GOAHEAD |
| S. | Racetrack wager with long odds | EXACTA |
| T. | Italian tourist locale on the Mediterranean | SANREMO |
| U. | Decidedly flip? (3 wds.) | TOSSACOIN |
| V. | Anticipating a losing streak | BEARISH |
| W. | Capital of India's Uttar Pradesh state | LUCKNOW |
| X. | Terse concession | UNCLE |
| Y. | Confront with an air of confidence (2 wds.) | FACEDOWN |
| Z. | Surge of emotion; directly abutting | FLUSH |