The term 'short end of the stick' is a phrase used to describe an unfair or unfavorable situation. It can be broken down into three crossword solutions: STUB (4 letters), BUMDEAL (7 letters), and RAWDEAL (7 letters). The word STUB refers to a short piece of something, such as a pencil or a stick. A bumdeal is an unfavorable or unfair situation, while a rawdeal is a very bad or unfair situation. Together, these words suggest that someone is getting the short end of the stick, meaning they are in an unfair or unfavorable situation.