Each letter in the "equations" below stands for a word in a familiar phrase. The = sign may or may not stand for "is."

1. L = M

2. NP = N G

3. NV = NG

4. NN = GN

5. APS = APE

6. LF = DY 

7. FC = FS

8. BN = PL

9. EC = CG

10. PW = PF

11. MT = CO

12. L = B

HINTS:

1. Bikini - Burka

2. Weight lifting

3. Risk

4. No change in the situation

5. Benjamin Franklin

6. James Dean, Jim Morrison 

7. Equitable way to treat customers

8. Sales pitch hook

9. Make money, lose money

10. Save little, waste a lot

11. Carpentry mantra

12. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

Answers:

 

1. Less is more.

2. No pain, no gain

3. Nothing ventured, nothing gained

4. No news is good news. 

5. A penny save is a penny earned. 

6. Live fast, die young 

7. First come, first served

8. Buy now, pay later

9. Easy come, easy go

10. Penny wise, pound foolish 

11. Measure twice, cut once

12. Love is blind