The term 'The PIT and the Pendulum' is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1842. It tells the story of a man who is sentenced to death by the Spanish Inquisition and experiences a series of terrifying events while in prison. The title of the story refers to the PIT, which is a deep hole, and the pendulum, which is a large blade that swings back and forth. The solution to the crossword for this term is 'PIT', which is a three letter word.