NY Times Crossword
December 19, 2019
Andy Kravis and Erik Agard (II)

The answers to the paired clues below share the same letters except for the two that can fill either side of the slash ( / ) mark. Use the clues below to determine the letters, and then try to see what two things they have in common. For example,

COMPA  /  CAR
Executive perk, maybe
It might fit in a tight spot

The answer words are COMPANY and  COMPACT.
The letters before and after the slash mark are NY/CT.

1)
IN THE  /  Y
Obstructing
On paper

2)
A  /  ONE
"Volunteers?"
Play's start

3)
  /  W GIRL
Dale Evans, for one
Young woman who just moved into the neighborhood

Answers:

1)
WAY
OR (IN THEORY) - - - WA/OR

2)
ANY
ACT - - - NY/CT

3)
COW 
NEW - - - CO/NE 

What the letters before and after the / have in common:

They are the postal abbreviations of U.S. states and the two states are contiguous!