TWO OUTS
NY Times Crossword
December 8, 2013
Patrick Berry

Each clue below has two answers, but both answers can be found in a single word or phrase. One of the answers is found by deleting two letters from the other. The longer answer may or may not be the first one clued, and the two deleted letters are not consecutive. For example, given the clue

Political party of Marian in The Music Man,

the answer would be LIBERTARIAN - because LIBERTARIAN is a political party, and dropping the E and T gives you LIBRARIAN - the roll portrayed by Marian in The Music Man.

1. The one puppy that can read
2. Whirlpool conductor
3. Minor-league championship flag
4. Alienate a New Jersey city
5. Labeled idiotic
6. Begat a soft place to sleep
7. "Charge!" to Duracells 
8. Pitch that fixes everything

HINTS:
The shorter answers are:
1. LITERATE
2. MAESTRO
3. PENNANT
4. ESTRANGE
5. BRANDED
6. FATHERED
7. BATTERY
8. CURE ALL

Answers:

1. LITTER MATE - LITERATE
2. MAELSTROM - MAESTRO
3. PENNY ANTE - PENNANT
4. EAST ORANGE - ESTRANGE
5. BRAIN DEAD - BRANDED
6. FEATHER BED - FATHERED 
7. BATTLE CRY - BATTERY
8. CURVE BALL - CURE ALL