Local Crossword

[Bilbo101]

21. Not long as a biscuit? - legal and moral but it makes you fat! (9)

S _ O _ T _ _ _ _

The answer looks to be SHORT something such as SHORTCAKE but I can't see how it fits the clue. That said, the last three down clues of the puzzle are missing so the clue could be incorrect.

[boxtops]

Shortbread - it's a biscuit but called a bread

[Bilbo101]

Thanks, boxtops, but have only nine letters to play with so SHORTCAKE still looks to be a possibility. Someone suggested that it might relate to the difference between VAT difference between luxury, chocolate covered items and ordinary cakes/biscuits, e.g. Jaffa Cakes.

[boxtops]

Ah, sorry - I read your dashes as 5.... easier to read ????s than dashes!