NY Times Crossword
Patrick Merrell - Aug. 21, 2003

In many two-word phrases in English, the only difference in spelling is one vowel. For example, in the doorbell sound ding dong, the two words are identical except for the vowels I and O. Pitter and patter differ only by the vowels I and A. The clues below can be answered by phrases which differ by only one vowel - either I and O or I and A.

1. First rate
2. Traverse back and forth
3. Song about a lost love letter
4. Indecisive
5. Not go straight
6. Trnket
7. Casual footwear
8. Rec room activity
9. Peter Cottontail's pace
10. Clock sound
11. Rabble
12. Small talk
13. Lilting voice
14. Mixed together
15. Fraudulent

Answers:

1. TIP TOP
2. CRISS CROSS
3. A TISKIT - A TASKIT
4. WISHY-WASHY
5. ZIG ZAG
6. KNICK KNACK
7. FLIP FLOP
8. PING PONG
9. HIPPITY-HOPPITY
10.  TICK TOCK
11. RIFF RAFF
12. CHIT CHAT
13. SING SONG
14. MISH MOSH
15. FLIM FLAM