Possible Clues:

• Short supply
• Flaky pastry is displaying lack of density
• Dearth
• Shortage of boxes? Shame, but no pressure
• Shortage of nautical gear unknown outside Italy
• Scantiness may suggest strip, say, in resort
• Shortness of supply of organised trips, say
• Rare quality such as Bath�s spoken of
• Scattered state school initially quiet with five leaving Oxbridge, say
• Thinly-scattered state