"handle some hills" = SKI?
"unsubstantial" = AIRY?
Also "did some carpentry" != jesus because the answer must be in the same tense/word category as the clue.
Hope that helps! I loooove crosswords, althought not the NYT one. They're usually too hard for me to finish, and I can't stand not finishing the puzzle.
~EDIT~
"angler's accessory" = TRAWL?