THE SUM OF ITS PARTS VI
SPLIT WORDS
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Oct. 2013
Steve Miller

While splitting infinitives is a no-no, splitting words is a necessity for completing this puzzle.
Fill in the blanks in the sentences below so that the first two words, when combined, make up the third word. For example, given the clue

The prime minister _ _ _ the meeting even though the _ _ _ _ was the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ official.
The prime minister RAN the meeting even though the KING was the RANKING official.

1. If you can't find a _ _ _ in the cupboard, _ _ _ looking in the _ _ _ _ _ _ .

2. I checked the _ _ for the store where I bought this prom
 _ _ _ _ _  to find out the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

3. If there is not enough light to _ _ _ _ ,  _ _ _ _
 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the lamp.

4. _ _ _ _ of the ornithologists' group went up to the
 mountain _ _ _ _ _ to observe the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

5. The best card counters are often young _ _ _
who can _ _ _ _ _ large numbers _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

6. Make sure the coffee maker is _ _ _ and the _ _ _ machine is empty before leaving the _ _ _ _ _ _ for the long weekend.

Answers: 

1. pan / try - pantry
2. ad / dress - address
3. read / just - readjust
4. Part / ridge - partridge
5. men / tally - mentally
6. off / ice - office