If we're writing short stories - the story has to be told, regardless of the word count. And the story should not be given short shrift.
If we're posting snips from longer WIPs, we should have better control on limiting the length by really looking at what part(s) of the work satisfy the prompt.
I look at the word count listed as a guideline. I'm pretty sure Dan's for October was 2K - I went over by 500 (which for me is not bad) but in thinking about what I was going to write I knew I had to keep the story idea down in involvement and number of characters, in other words, limit my idea - so I did.
There's no question shorter works will receive more crits unless someone manages to write a more lengthy cliff-hanger (in Western, not too likely). But, I stress again, there has to be story - a beginning, rising action, climax, and falling action to the end unless what's posted is a snip of a longer piece - in which case the poster needs to clue readers in to what they absolutely need to know to understand the snip.
In Historical, we've often had two topics / prompts per month. We could do something like that and make the second topic / prompt a real shorty - 60, 100, 200 words. It's a real challenge to contain a real story in a very short piece. I'm pasting one I did for historical below - sort of western (almost). Puma
One-armed Bandit
Oh, darling, I'm so lonely sitting out here with the sagebrush. Across the street I can hear them singing at the cantina. I'm sure they're dancing, and Sugar-doodle's got her head on Leroy's shoulder. But you ain't here, an' I ain't got the money to send for you. But I'll try my dollar in the bandit tonight. Hope I win!