NY Times Crossword
January 11, 2004
Alan Arbesfeld
THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT

The answers to the clues below are familiar phrases - almost. Each falls just short - in the same way. Can you see the pattern? Wordplay is fair play.

1. Reason to call the exterminator
2. Haberdashery robberies
3. Swindle at Ben & Jerry's
4. Pint of water, for example
5. Like an angry guy in Beijing
6. Crocodile tears
7. Western horse/tourist enterprise that goes bankrupt

HINTS:
#1: The answer to each clue is a familiar phrase - minus one letter.
#2: The missing letter is E.

Answers:

1. RAT INCREASE
2. HAT CRIMES
3. ICE CREAM CON
4. TAP MEASURE
5. MAD IN CHINA
6. CRYING SHAM
7. DUD RANCH