SPACE CRAFT I (PARSE-O-NYMS)
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Dec. 2007
Stephen Sniderman
You can significantly change the meaning of some two-word phrases simply by shifting the location of the space between words. For example,

SOURDOUGH  NUT - - - SOUR  DOUGHNUT
FLATFOOT'S  TOOL - - - FLAT   FOOTSTOOL
BUCKEYES  TRAIN - - - BUCK  EYESTRAIN

The two definitions in each clue below lead to two expressions with exactly the same letters, but with a different space placement. The change in the spacing gives the two expressions entirely different meanings and pronunciations, as illustrated in the examples above.

1)
Earnestly ask for facts
_ _ _    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Initiate  arrangement
_ _ _ _ _    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2)
Tiny British honor
_ _ _    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Mon. - Fri. evening gangster
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _    _ _ _ _

3)
Paul Revere and colleagues curse
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _     _ _ _ _ _
Microscopic clothes for guys
_ _ _ _ _ _     _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

4)
Bring an aardvark into the U.S.
_ _ _ _ _ _     _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Bigwig restaurant patron
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _     _ _ _ _ _

5)
Cranky punning
_ _ _ _ _    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Cruciverbalist drama
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _     _ _ _ _

6)
Illegal liquor ceases
_ _ _ _ _ _ _     _ _ _ _
Throw out folk tales
_ _ _ _     _ _ _ _ _ _ _

7)
Mr. Fix-It goes steady
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _     _ _ _ _ _
Useful decrees
_ _ _ _ _     _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

8)
Absence of mesas
_ _    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Prominent countries
_ _ _ _ _ _ _    _ _ _ _ _

9)
Reduction record
_ _ _ _ _ _ _     _ _ _
Decrease unfilled orders
_ _ _    _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Answers:

1)
BEG  INFORMATION
BEGIN  FORMATION

2)
WEE  KNIGHTHOOD
WEEKNIGHT  HOOD

3)
MINUTEMEN   SWEAR
MINUTE   MENSWEAR

4)
IMPORT   ANTEATER
IMPORTANT   EATER

5)
CROSS   WORDPLAY
CROSSWORD   PLAY

6)
BOOTLEG   ENDS
BOOT   LEGENDS

7)
HANDYMAN   DATES
HANDY   MANDATES

8)
NO TABLELANDS
NOTABLE LANDS 

9)
CUTBACK LOG
CUT BACKLOG