I've got to tell you, in about 40 years in the electronics manufacturing industry including the last 25 working with chip components, I can't recall seeing a single shorted resistor.
Congrats on finding that!
Wow, this makes me nervous that I'm wrong! I mean, replacing it definitely fixed it, but...
As noted in the post, I measured it in-circuit, then with the ribbon cable disconnected. With the cable disconnected, I got a different measurement to ground than with it connected, so I was quite sure that freed up one end. Once it was out I again measured it as shorted on the bench. Unfortunately, after that I went to pick it up with the tweezers and shot it across the room never to be found again, so I can't go back and re-re-confirm.
Is this like "it happens but it's rare" or "it doesn't/can't happen"?
--Dan
