NYT guidelines say not to "use partial phrases longer than five letters (ONE TO A, A STITCH IN, etc.)..."
Two questions:
1- Does this partial phrase rule apply to titles and place names or just to common phrases and expressions?
Would the following be acceptable:
clue: ____ Tears (National historical site)
answer: Trail of
2- Does this tend to be a hard and fast rule, or is there some give depending on the creativity/overall ummm, goodness of the clue and answer.
