Related Clues:

• If it had a tail one might shorten it
• Bit is all one may get
• One gets bit that one has been asking for
• See you are nothing like 7 down
• To have has its tail cut off would have made the brute shorter
• It may have had its tail cut short
• The one that caused the trouble may get only one bit, perhaps
• If what's in 23 across has a tail, cut it short
• See how brutal you are, by the sound of it
• The brute has its tail cut short
• With a tail to make the brute shorter
• This gets a bit for just ice, so they say
• In short, the tail is off the poor brute
• The bit one got served one right
• It may keep its tail, even when one shortened it