BRAIN BRAWN IV
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Apr. 2004
Stephen Sniderman

Each clue below leads to a two-word phrase in which the two words differ by only a single letter. For example, the clue INTELLECTUAL POWER would lead to BRAIN BRAWN. The differing letters have been placed in their correct positions. The blanks indicate the missing letters, which are the same and in the same order in both words.

1. Fresh as can be               _ _ V _ _           _ _ W _ _
2. Composer's burden         _ P _ _              _ N _ _
3. Quest for carbs                _ T _ _ _ _        _ E _ _ _ _
4. Dreary discouragement   _ _ _ _ _ L        _ _ _ _ _ Y
5. Subtract food lists           _ I _ _ _            _ E_ _ _
6. Insult forensics                _ _ _ _ S _        _ _ _ _ T _
7. Premature peers               _ _ _ _ Y          _ _ _ _ S   
8. Glee club giggle              _ _ _ _ A _ _     _ _ _ _ T _ _
9. Released Sigmund          _ _ _ E _            _ _ _ U _
10. Psychiatrist cry             _ _ _ _ N _        _ _ _ _ E _

Answers:

1. NEVER NEWER
2. OPUS ONUS
3. STARCH SEARCH
4. DISMAL DISMAY
5. MINUS MENUS
6. DEBASE DEBATE
7. EARLY EARLS
8. CHORALE CHORTLE
9. FREED FREUD
10. SHRINK SHRIEK