Mysterious interaction of embed and subset on some files

When I print this file

   http://saf.bio.caltech.edu/pdfnotes/Example3.doc

through PDF Creator 1.2 with /printer for PDF 1.5 and all combinations of embed and subset (with default <100%)  the resulting PDF files created have sizes:

E S   Size
Y Y  29194
N Y   9738
Y N 127448
N N  25320

Why does the subset flag do anything if Embed is disabled?I do not understand why the NY and NN lines are different sizes. 

Looking at the FontDescriptor sizes this seems to mostly revolve around the size of one of the Symbol fonts, where subset = N results in a 17018 descriptor, and subset=Y a 1430 byte descriptor.  As if subset is active for that one font even when embed is not set.

NY  FontDescriptor (Object): Size (Description) PP:
   1 (   9):      1430 (/QABGUU+Symbol) PP: 1
   2 (  11):       168 (/TimesNewRoman) PP: 1
   3 (  14):       161 (/Symbol) PP: 1

NN  FontDescriptor (Object): Size (Description) PP:
   1 (   9):     17018 (/Symbol) PP: 1
   2 (  11):       168 (/TimesNewRoman) PP: 1
   3 (  14):       161 (/Symbol) PP: 1

YN FontDescriptor (Object): Size (Description) PP:
   1 (   8):     34629 (/Times-Roman) PP: 1
   2 (  10):     17018 (/Symbol) PP: 1
   3 (  12):      6619 (/TimesNewRoman) PP: 1
   4 (  14):     23071 (/Helvetica) PP: 1
   5 (  16):      3529 (/Symbol) PP: 1
   6 (  18):     33734 (/Times-Italic) PP: 1

YY FontDescriptor (Object): Size (Description) PP:
   1 (   8):      6653 (/HNPULM+Times-Roman) PP: 1
   2 (  10):      1430 (/QABGUU+Symbol) PP: 1
   3 (  12):      6626 (/MEDLMS+TimesNewRoman) PP: 1
   4 (  14):       532 (/QEGMJO+Helvetica) PP: 1
   5 (  16):      3536 (/CXOYBI+Symbol) PP: 1
   6 (  18):      1528 (/JZJELE+Times-Italic) PP: 1